OTTAWA -- When vaccine supply arrives and public health officials give the go-ahead, the Queensway Carleton Hospital says its vaccination clinic is ready to go.
"We've run mock scenarios to make sure we're okay in terms of infection control and we're hoping to really streamline the process very smoothly so that you come in, get vaccinated, wait and then leave," said lead physician Dr. Dorota Nowodworski. "We really feel there's a sense of hope going forward with opening this vaccine clinic so we're really excited."
Once it's up and running, about 500 people per day will be able to get vaccinated at this clinic, one of several in the city. That number will increase to up to 1,000 per day when vaccine supply increases.
People will be able to access the clinic through a separate entrance without having to walk through the hospital.
"When they get here we'll register them, then we'll ask them to go to one of our five booths to be vaccinated. Then, we'll have them sit in one of our chairs to wait for 15 minutes, or 30 minutes if they have a history of anaphylaxis to vaccine or food, and after that they'll be able to leave and they'll be booked for their second appointment," said Dr. Nowodworski.
Dr. Joseph Dagenais, the hospital's director of pharmacy, said it was a team effort to get the clinic ready and safe for people to receive a shot.
"We have pharmacists, we have pharmacy technicians, we have volunteers, we have registration, we have security involved here, so it was really bringing all those experts together and really bringing in our facilities, our construction people, to come in and see what was feasible and to find a space that was large enough," he said. "As soon as we get told we're going to receive vaccine and we receive vaccine on that date we would probably look at vaccinating the day after or in the very near future to that."
Dr. Dagenais said he hopes everyone eligible to receive a shot will get one.
"Getting vaccinated is probably one of the best things people can do to move on beyond COVID, to help battle COVID and the vaccine has been proven safe," he said.
