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COVID-19 vaccination opportunities: week of April 4, 2022 – Public Health Sudbury & Districts

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Public Health Sudbury & Districts is offering several convenient opportunities in the Sudbury & Manitoulin districts this week to help you get your COVID-19 vaccine. Don’t delay. Get your first and second dose as soon as possible and your third dose if you are eligible.

Vaccination opportunities for the week of April 4

More opportunities may be added throughout the week. For regular updates, follow us on social media @PublicHealthSD (Facebook, Twitter). Visit us online for up-to-date clinic details, including the clinic times and mRNA vaccine brand that is planned at phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Tuesday, April 5

Appointment and walk-in clinics

  • Carmichael Arena, Greater Sudbury
  • Freshwater Community Church, Mindemoya, Manitoulin Island
  • Foodland, Noëlville (mobile bus clinic)

Wednesday, April 6

Appointment and walk-in clinics

  • Charles C. McLean Public School, Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island
  • Southridge Mall, Greater Sudbury

Walk-in clinics

  • St. Stanislas Church, Copper Cliff (mobile bus clinic)

Thursday, April 7

Appointment and walk-in clinics

  • Carmichael Arena, Greater Sudbury
  • Lansdowne Public School, Greater Sudbury
  • S. Geiger Public School, Massey

Walk-in clinics

  • Ryan Heights Playground, Greater Sudbury (mobile bus clinic)

Friday, April 8

Appointment and walk-in clinics

  • Dowling Leisure Centre, 79 Main Street West, Dowling
  • Falconbridge Community Centre, Falconbridge (mobile bus clinic)
  • Southridge Mall, Greater Sudbury

Saturday, April 9

Appointment and walk-in clinics

  • Dr. Edgar Leclair Community Centre and Arena, Azilda

Walk-in clinics

  • 1099 Marcus Drive, Greater Sudbury (mobile bus clinic)

Sensory-friendly service

Sensory-friendly is a service for individuals who require accommodations for sensory sensitivities during immunization.

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How it works: Sensory-friendly services may include a private immunization station at one of our mass clinics where lights can be dimmed, noise kept to a minimum, and extra time allotted for the appointment. Alternatively, vaccine-to-vehicle service can be provided within a vehicle at the parking lot of a mass clinic as an alternative for those requiring sensory accommodations.

How to book: Appointments can only be booked by phone through the local call centre at 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505). The call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and is closed on statutory holidays.  Booking online is not available.

Vaccine-to-vehicle service

Vaccine-to-vehicle is a service available at select mass immunization clinics. This service is available for individuals who are unable to receive their vaccine within a clinic setting for reasons such as sensory sensitivities, decreased mobility, or other health concerns.

How it works: An immunizer will come outside to the parking lot to provide the vaccine to individuals in their vehicle.

How to book: Appointments can only be booked by phone through the local call centre at 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505). The call centre is open Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and is closed on statutory holidays.  Booking online is not available.

Please note that during extreme weather or extreme cold that your appointment may be rebooked to ensure everyone’s safety.

Pharmacies and primary care

With many pharmacies and primary care providers providing COVID-19 vaccination, there are even more options available to get your first or second dose locally, every week. Visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations (Government of Ontario) for a list of pharmacies in Ontario offering COVID-19 vaccination and for booking information or contact your primary care provider.

Questions about vaccination

Whether you have questions about getting your first, second, or third dose of vaccine or you have questions about youth vaccination, our clinic immunizers as well as our call centre staff can help answer your questions. Your health care provider is also a trusted source of reliable and credible information. Choosing vaccination is a choice and everyone deserves to have the information they need to be well informed.

Vaccine brands offered and supplies

All Public Health clinics offer one of two mRNA vaccine brands—either Moderna Spikevax or the pediatric and adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty. A reminder that for those 30 and older, the adult dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty and Moderna Spikevax vaccines can be safely interchanged. Based on vaccine supplies, the vaccine brand planned for use at any clinic is subject to change, possibly with limited notice. We encourage you to ask our immunizers for more information to help you make an informed decision and feel comfortable about getting either vaccine brand. To learn which mRNA vaccine brands are planned for our clinics, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Currently, mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax) are the preferred COVID-19 vaccine options for the primary series and booster doses administered at all Public Health clinics. However, Public Health also keeps a limited supply of the single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), a non-mRNA vaccine. Other non-mRNA vaccines, such as Novavax, are not yet available at Public Health clinics.

Appointments can be booked for a non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine by calling 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505) and providing a representative with your name and contact information. A representative will call you back to schedule an appointment once enough individuals have requested to receive a non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

Eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines

First dose eligibility

  • Individuals five years of age and older can receive a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
    • Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty pediatric dose (10 micrograms) is approved for children 5 years of age and older. Children 5 to 11 years of age must wait at least 14 days before or after receiving another vaccine prior to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
    • Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty (30 micrograms) is approved for youth who are 12 years and older.
    • The Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty is preferentially recommended for individuals aged 18 to 29 years old and the only approved vaccine for youth aged 12 to 17.
    • Everyone aged 29 and over can receive either Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax. These 2 mRNA vaccines can be safely interchanged.

Second dose eligibility

  • Children aged 5 to 11 who received their first pediatric dose of Pfizer-BioNTech more than 8 weeks ago.
  • Youth aged 12 years and older who received their first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine more than 56 days (8 weeks) ago.
  • Anyone who received their first dose of Moderna Spikevax vaccine more than 56 days (8 weeks) ago.
  • People who received AstraZeneca Vaxzevria 56 days ago (at least 8 weeks) and who would like to get an mRNA vaccine.
  • The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and Ontario Ministry of Health recommend an optimal interval of 8 weeks (56 days) between first and second doses of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series (Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty or Moderna Spikevax). According to NACI, there is emerging evidence that longer intervals between the first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccines result in more robust and durable immune response and higher vaccine effectiveness. Public Health will administer second doses 8 weeks (56 days) following administration of a first dose, with limited exceptions.

Third dose eligibility

The Government of Ontario recommends a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of a primary vaccine series (meaning 3 doses are needed for full immunity) for the following individuals:

Booster dose eligibility

The Government of Ontario recommends a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to restore protection that may have decreased over time to a level for the following individuals:

  • Individuals 18 years of age and older who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 months ago (84 days, 12 weeks).
  • Individuals 12 to 17 years of age who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least six months (168 days) or 3 months (84 days) with informed consent.
  • First Nations, Inuit, and Métis adults 18 years of age and older including non-Indigenous household members, who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 months ago (84 days, 12 weeks).
  • Eligible health care workers 18 years of age and older who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 months ago (84 days, 12 weeks) (see details at ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics).
  • Individuals who received 2 doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 months ago (84 days, 12 weeks).
  • Individuals who received 1 dose of the Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 months ago (84 days, 12 weeks).
  • Vulnerable older adults in congregate settings who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 months ago (84 days, 12 weeks) (see details at ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics).
  • Moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals who are eligible for a three dose primary series may receive a booster dose (a fourth dose) 6 month (168 days, 24 weeks) after their third dose.

In addition, as of 8 a.m. on Friday, February 18, 2022, Ontario is expanding booster dose eligibility to youth aged 12 to 17.

For detailed information on eligibility for first, second, and third doses, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Second and third dose appointments

Anyone eligible for a second or third dose can book an appointment as soon as they are eligible. To book online, visit covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or call 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505), between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. For a list of scheduled clinics, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

Preparing for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment

All vaccination clinics have COVID-safety measures in place. You must not attend a clinic if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are in isolation due to a COVID-19 exposure.

  • Bring your health card. If you do not have a health card or your health card is expired, bring another form of government-issued photo identification such as a driver’s license, passport, Status card, or birth certificate.
  • Eat and drink something before you arrive at your appointment to prevent feeling faint or dizzy while being vaccinated.
  • Do not show up until 5 minutes before your scheduled appointment.
  • When possible, please limit the number of support people attending a vaccination clinic to one person.
  • Dress for the weather, you may have to wait in line if you plan on attending a walk-in clinic.
  • Wear a top that allows for easy access to the upper arm such as a loose-fitting top or a t-shirt.
  • Wear a medical mask that covers your nose, mouth, and chin. If you do not have a medical mask, pediatric and adult medical masks will be available at the entrance to the clinic.
  • If you have symptoms of COVID-19, do not attend the clinic.

For more information or if you have questions, please talk to trusted sources such as Public Health immunizers at COVID-19 vaccine clinics, health care providers, and pharmacists, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).

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Kevin Neil Friesen Obituary 2024 – Crossings Funeral Care

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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Kevin Neil Friesen age 53 on Thursday, March 28, 2024 at the Bethesda Regional Health Centre.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2024 at the Bothwell Christian Fellowship Church, with viewing one hour prior to the service.

A longer notice to follow.  

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Spring allergies: Where is it worse in Canada? – CTV News

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The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities such as Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.

Daniel Coates, director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories in Ottawa, expects the elevated amounts to continue next week for places, such as most of Ontario, if the temperature continues to rise. Aerobiology creates allergen forecasts based on data it collects from the air on various pollens and mould spores.

Pollens are fertilizing fine powder from certain plants such as trees, grass and weeds. They contain a protein that irritates allergy sufferers.

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Although pollen levels declined after a cold spell in some places, he said they are soaring again across parts of Canada.

“So the worst is definitely British Columbia right now, followed by Ontario and Quebec and then the Prairies and Atlantic Canada for the upcoming weeks,” said Coates in a video interview with CTVNews.ca. “We are seeing pollen pretty much everywhere, including the Maritimes.”

He said pollen has increased over the past 20 years largely due to longer periods of warm weather in Canada.

Meanwhile, the Maritimes is one of the best places to live in Canada if you have seasonal allergies, in part because of its rocky territory, Coates said.

With high levels of cedar and birch pollen, British Columbia is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada, he added.

“British Columbia is going strong,” Coates explained, noting the allergy season started “very early” in the province in late January. “It has been going strong since late January, early February and it’s progressing with high levels of pollen, mostly cedar, but birch as well, and birch is highly allergenic.”

Causes of high pollen levels

Coates expects a longer allergy season if the warm weather persists. He notes pollen is increasing in Canada and worldwide, adding that in some cases the allergy season is starting earlier and lasting longer than 15 years ago.

He says tree pollen produced last year is now being released into the air because of warmer weather.

“Mother nature acts like a business,” he said. “So you have cyclical periods where things go up and down. … So when it cooled down a little bit, we saw (pollen) reduce in its levels, but now it’s going to start spiking.”

Along with warmer weather, another factor in higher pollen levels is people planting more male trees in urban areas because they don’t produce flowers and fruits and are less messy as a result, he said. But male trees produce pollen while female ones mostly do not.

Moulds

Coates said moulds aren’t as much of a problem.

“They’ve been mainly at lower levels so far this season,” he explained. “Moulds aren’t as bad in many areas of Canada, but they’re really, really bad in British Columbia.”

In B.C., moulds are worse because of its wet climate and many forested areas, he said.

Coping with allergies

Dr. Blossom Bitting, a naturopathic doctor and herbal medicine expert who works for St. Francis Herb Farm, says a healthy immune system is important to deal with seasonal allergies.

“More from a holistic point of view, we want to keep our immune system strong,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca from Shediac, N.B. “Some would argue allergies are an overactive immune system.”

Bitting said ways to balance and strengthen the immune system include managing stress levels and getting seven to nine hours of restful sleep. “There is some research that shows that higher amounts of emotional stress can also contribute to how much your allergies react to the pollen triggers,” Bitting said.

Eating well by eating more whole foods and less processed foods along with exercising are also important, she added. She recommends foods high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids such as flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, walnuts and fish. Fermented foods with probiotics such as yogurt, kimchi and miso, rather than pasteurized ones, can keep the gut healthy, she added. Plant medicines or herbs such as astragalus, reishi mushrooms, stinging nettle and schisandra can help bodies adapt to stressors, help balance immune systems or stabilize allergic reactions, she said.

To cope with allergies, she recommends doing the following to reduce exposure to pollen:

  • Wear sunglasses to get less pollen into the eyes;
  • Wash outdoor clothes frequently, use outer layers for outside and remove them when you go inside the house;
  • Use air purifiers such as with HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters;
  • Wash pets and children after they go outside;
  • Keep the window closed on days with high pollen counts.

Mariam Hanna, a pediatric allergist, clinical immunologist and associate professor with McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., says immunotherapy can help patients retrain their bodies by working with an allergist so they become more tolerant to pollens and have fewer symptoms.

“Some patients will need medications like over-the-counter antihistamines or speaking with their doctor about the right types of medications to help with symptom control,” she said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca.

Coates recommends people check pollen forecasts and decrease their exposure to pollen since no cure exists for allergies. “The best is knowing what’s in the air so that you can adjust your schedules, or whatever you’re doing, around the pollen levels.”

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Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

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Recent studies suggest staying up-to-date on COVID shots helps protect high-risk groups from severe illness

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

Even when the risk of infection starts to increase, the vaccines still do a really good job at decreasing risk of severe disease, said McMaster University researcher and immunologist Matthew Miller.

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Who needs another COVID shot?

Back in January, Canada’s national vaccine advisory body set the stage for another round of spring vaccinations. In a statement (new window), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) stated that starting in spring 2024, individuals at an increased risk of severe COVID may get an extra dose of the latest XBB.1.5-based vaccines, which better protect against circulating virus variants.

That means:

  • Adults aged 65 and up.
  • Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors.
  • Anyone six months of age or older who is moderately to severely immunocompromised.

The various spring recommendations don’t focus on pregnancy, despite research (new window) showing clear links between a COVID infection while pregnant, and increased health risks. However, federal guidance does note that getting vaccinated during pregnancy can protect against serious outcomes.

Vaccinated people can also pass antibodies to their baby through the placenta and through breastmilk, that guidance states (new window).

What do the provinces now recommend?

Multiple provinces have started rolling out their own regional guidance based on those early recommendations — with a focus on allowing similar high-risk groups to get another round of vaccinations.

B.C. is set to announce guidance on spring COVID vaccines in early April, officials told CBC News, and those recommendations are expected to align with NACI’s guidance.

In Manitoba (new window), high-risk individuals are already eligible for another dose, provided it’s been at least three months since their latest COVID vaccine.

Meanwhile Ontario’s latest guidance (new window), released on March 21, stresses that high-risk individuals may get an extra dose during a vaccine campaign set to run between April and June. Eligibility will involve waiting six months after someone’s last dose or COVID infection.

Having a spring dose is particularly important for individuals at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who did not receive a dose during the Fall 2023 program, the guidance notes.

And in Nova Scotia (new window), the spring campaign will run from March 25 to May 31, also allowing high-risk individuals to get another dose.

Specific eligibility criteria vary slightly from province-to-province, so Canadians should check with their primary care provider, pharmacist or local public health team for exact guidelines in each area.

WATCH: Age still best determines when to get next COVID vaccine dose, research suggests:

 

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Age still best determines when to get COVID vaccines, new research suggests

It’s been four years since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, and new research suggests your age may determine how often you should get a booster shot.

Why do the guidelines focus so much on age?

The rationale behind the latest spring guidelines, Miller said, is that someone’s age remains one of the greatest risk factors associated with severe COVID outcomes, including hospitalization, intensive care admission and death.

So that risk starts to shoot up at about 50, but really takes off in individuals over the age of 75, he noted.

Canadian data (new window) suggests the overwhelming majority of COVID deaths have been among older adults, with nearly 60 per cent of deaths among those aged 80 or older, and roughly 20 per cent among those aged 70 to 79.

People with compromised immune systems or serious medical conditions are also more vulnerable, Miller added.

Will people always need regular COVID shots?

While the general population may not require shots as frequently as higher-risk groups, Miller said it’s unlikely there will be recommendations any time soon to have a COVID shot less than once a year, given ongoing uncertainty about COVID’s trajectory.

Going forward, I suspect for pragmatic reasons, [COVID vaccinations] will dovetail with seasonal flu vaccine campaigns, just because it makes the implementation much more straightforward, Miller said.

And although we haven’t seen really strong seasonal trends with SARS-CoV-2 now, I suspect we’ll get to a place where it’s more seasonal than it has been.

In the meantime, the guidance around COVID shots remains simple at its core: Whenever you’re eligible to get another dose — whether that’s once or twice a year — you might as well do it.

What does research say?

One analysis, published in early March in the medical journal Lancet Infectious Diseases (new window), studied more than 27,000 U.S. patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind COVID, between September and December 2023.

The team found individuals who had an updated vaccine reduced their risk of severe illness by close to a third — and the difference was more noticeable in older and immunocompromised individuals.

Another American research team from Stanford University recently shared the results from a modelling simulation looking at the ideal frequency for COVID vaccines.

The study in Nature Communications (new window) suggests that for individuals aged 75 and up, having an annual COVID shot could reduce severe infections from an estimated 1,400 cases per 100,000 people to around 1,200 cases — while bumping to twice a year could cut those cases even further, down to 1,000.

For younger, healthier populations, however, the benefit of regular shots against severe illness was more modest.

The outcome wasn’t a surprise to Stanford researcher Dr. Nathan Lo, an infectious diseases specialist, since old age has consistently been a risk factor for severe COVID.

It’s almost the same pattern that’s been present the entire pandemic, he said. And I think that’s quite striking.

More frequent vaccination won’t prevent all serious infections, he added, or perhaps even a majority of those infections, which highlights the need for ongoing mitigation efforts.

Lauren Pelley (new window) · CBC News

 

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