Ottawa seeing 300-400 vaccine appointment no-shows a day at community clinics
The head of Ottawa's COVID-19 vaccine rollout insists no doses are going to waste, despite hundreds of no-shows each day for an appointment at a community clinic.
Emergency and protective services general manager Anthony Di Monte says the city is seeing 300 to 400 no-shows daily at community clinics.
"Community clinics currently offer between 10,000 to 12,000 vaccine appointments per day. Of these planned appointments, anywhere from 300 to 400 no-shows may occur across all community clinics combined," said Di Monte in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.
"Any unclaimed doses are used in accordance with the Province of Ontario’s plan and ethical framework for vaccine distribution. This ensures that all unclaimed doses are reallocated and administered."
Speaking with reporters on Friday, Di Monte said the numbers of no-shows for appointments is not significant, but "it does seem to be increasing."
"We are keeping a very close eye on it. I want to reassure you, there's no loss."
Di Monte says Ottawa Public Health and the city have a list of priority groups, including priority healthcare groups that will receive any unused vaccines at the end of the day.
He added that staff will only prepare vaccines at clinics to meet the daily needs.
"The clinical staff and the staff that are in the clinics only thaw out and prepare vaccines a little bit a head of time," said Di Monte.
"If there are a hundred no-shows in a clinic at the end of the day, those 100 vaccines aren't lost because they aren't thawed out and they're not prepared or diluted, and they'll be ready for the next day."
Di Monte says Ontario has recently launched a tool to help residents reschedule or cancel their vaccination appointments. You can visit, https://vaccine.covaxonbooking.ca/manage.
In late May, the Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health unit reported a "high number of no-shows" at clinics. There were over 25 no-shows at clinics in Kingston and Napanee on May 30.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Live updates as Stormy Daniels testifies at Trump hush money trial
Adult film star Stormy Daniels will take the stand a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump’s hush money case continues in Manhattan. Follow live updates here.
NEW Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
With contactless screening tech, this Toronto startup hopes to catch breast cancer early — and save lives
Amid evidence of rising breast cancer rates among young women in Canada, one Toronto startup is offering a contactless and radiation-free device that can help doctors identify suspicious changes in breast tissue. The company, Linda Lifetech, says this can lead to earlier detection of breast cancer.
Tornadoes tear through southeastern U.S. as storms leave 3 dead
Forecasters warned a wave of dangerous storms in the U.S. could wash over parts of the South early Thursday, a day after severe weather with damaging tornadoes and large hail killed at least three people in the region.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.