57 pharmacies in Windsor-Essex to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to people aged 60 to 64
One pharmacy owner asks for patience ahead of vaccine rollout
Nearly five dozen pharmacies in Windsor-Essex will start booking COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people between the ages of 60 and 64 by the end of the week.
Across the region, 57 pharmacies — 33 in Windsor and 24 in Essex County — will start taking appointments as of Friday to administer the Astrazeneca vaccine. Costco and Rexall have already set up their websites for people to join a wait-list. Windsor-Essex is one of three public health units in the province participating in a pilot program to use pharmacies to administer 194,500 doses of the vaccine.
Here's where you can find a list of the places locally, as well as those in Toronto and Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington public health regions.
Windsor's Medica Pharmacy is one of the approved sites under the provincial pilot.
Owner and pharmacist Francesco Vella told CBC News Wednesday that he's expecting to receive 500 doses of the vaccine by Thursday or Friday and has spent the last few days preparing for the vaccine to arrive.
"[There's] excitement with trying to get this pandemic behind us ... as fast as possible," Vella said.
WATCH: Medica Pharmacy talks about their plans to vaccinate
The preparation for this week included figuring out all the logistics, such as a staffing schedule, the process of administering the shots and securing enough personal protective equipment.
He said just receiving the vaccines themselves is a process that he needs to prepare for, including monitoring the storage of the vaccines at a particular temperature.
"It's not a matter of receiving a box, unwrapping a box and away you go," he said. "Everyone's working as fast as they can, we have the guidance that we need."
Vella added that the only thing he's wondering about is whether his staff can accommodate people who can't leave their homes.
If there's people stuck at home who can't get to the vaccine, he said he's more than willing to go to them but is waiting to hear if that's something the ministry will allow.
Depending on when the vaccine arrives, Vella said he is planning a "vaccination blitz" to "get as many shots into patients arms as possible."
"To the people in Windsor-Essex be patient, know that the pharmacies have already rolled out a plan like this before with the flu shots we will get to all of our patients and we will make sure that the shots get in to your arms."