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
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
'Tactical evacuations' underway near Fort Nelson, B.C., as wildfires encroach
The BC Wildfire Service says 'tactical evacuations' began Friday near Fort Nelson, B.C., due to an out-of-control wildfire that has grown rapidly since it was discovered earlier in the afternoon.
Snowbirds in Vancouver for puck-drop flyby as Canucks face Oilers
The Canadian Forces Snowbirds will be performing a flyover across downtown Vancouver at the start of tonight's Stanley Cup playoff game between the Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.