Second dose dash continues in Ottawa as risk of COVID-19 variant increases
There is a push to speed up second doses across Ontario as the Delta variant continues to spread.
On Saturday, hundreds of people received their first and second doses at pop-up sites in Ottawa.
"It’s all about getting as many of the doses to as many of our citizens as fast as possible, period," said Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, an Ottawa critical and palliative care doctor.
The weekend push in the capital comes as accelerated second dose booking eligibility is set to open further on Monday to adults who received their first dose before May 9.
"We need everybody to get their second doses. This is a big push to get everybody immunized as fast as we can," said family physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, who organized her fourth pop-up clinic in the Glebe Saturday.
The initiative, dubbed 'Jabapalooza', saw nearly 600 people get a vaccine, most of which were second doses.
"Almost everybody who’s here, they got their first shot from us at one of the first Jabapaloza’s," said Dr. Kaplan-Myrth. "Some of these people are the essential workers who we had reached out to before to say come to us and we’ll give you your vaccine."
In Ottawa's west end, a pop-up clinic at the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre filled up quickly, fully booked by 10 a.m.
First and second doses were offered there to residents from 21 high risk neighbourhoods designated by Ottawa Public Health.
This comes as Ottawa gets set to open five new mass vaccination clinics on Monday, thanks to an influx of Moderna vaccines from the province. Hundreds of new appointments were available online Saturday evening.
"The strategy is sound, we know the vaccines are effective against the variant, there is reasons for optimism, there is reasons to think we can see that light at the end of the tunnel," said Dr. Kyeremanteng.
As of Friday, 75 percent of adults in the capital had received at least one dose of a vaccine.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.