The Ottawa area's weekly COVID-19 vaccination checkup: Oct. 14
Highlights:
Vaccinations help sports venues, Halloween and to further open up the U.S. border.
Quebec extends its deadline for health-care workers to be vaccinated.
Visitors to western Quebec health-care facilities will need to show vaccine proof.
Renfrew County extends its vaccination deadline for organized indoor sports.
Every Thursday, CBC Ottawa brings you this roundup of COVID-19 vaccination developments throughout the region. You can find more information through links at the bottom of the page.
There have been more than 3.5 million doses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region, which has about 2.3 million residents.
That's about 30,000 doses in the last week. That weekly number had been stable around 35,000 to 40,000 since the end of August.
Provincial picture
Citing high vaccination rates as one reason, Ontario has lifted capacity limits for venues such as arenas and theatres. Quebec's similar changes also kicked in last week.
Premier Doug Ford's government will announce its new plan for lifting more of Ontario's COVID-19 public health restrictions next week, CBC News has learned.
Thanksgiving just took place with precautions, including looser guidelines for vaccinated people, and health officials said trick-or-treating should go ahead in 2021.
WATCH | Halloween 2021 guidance from Ottawa Public Health:
Fully vaccinated Canadians will be allowed to enter the United States at land and ferry border crossings starting in early November. More details will come, such as an exact date and rules for people with mixed doses.
Quebec health-care workers will be suspended without pay if they're not fully vaccinated by Nov. 15. That's is a one-month extension of the previous deadline, which the health minister said is needed to avoid suspending thousands of staff.
Ninety per cent of eligible Quebec residents have had at least one dose and 85 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Eighty-seven per cent of Ontario residents age 12 and up have at least one vaccine dose, while about 82 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Ottawa
The capital still has regular and pop-up clinics for anyone eligible to get a first, second or third dose, has neighbourhood vaccine hubs, and is bringing mobile vaccine clinics to those who request it.
There are pop-ups Thursday afternoon at the Robertson Centre mall in Bells Corners and a return to the St. Laurent Shopping Centre Friday.
More than 1.6 million doses have now been given to Ottawa residents.
Of the city's total population of just over one million, 78 per cent of residents have had at least one dose, including 89 per cent of residents born in 2009 or earlier.
Seventy-four per cent of the total population is fully vaccinated, as are 85 per cent of eligible residents.
Western Quebec
Visitors to CISSS de l'Outaouais (CISSSO) facilities will have to show proof they're fully vaccinated as of Friday. There are exceptions for guardians and palliative care.
CISSSO continues to list recurring, mobile and pop-up clinics online.
The Outaouais has distributed about 592,000 doses — combined first, second and third — among a population of about 386,000.
WATCH | Employment lawyers brace for COVID-19 layoffs under vaccine mandates:
Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
It's managing smaller clinics and mobile clinics to better reach areas with lower vaccination rates, with options shared regularly online and on its social feeds.
A mobile clinic is coming to the Stone Mills Recreation Centre in Tamworth Thursday.
The region, with a population of about 213,000, has had more than 326,000 vaccine doses — combined first, second and third — given to residents.
The health unit has now given a first dose to about 89 per cent of its population 12 and older, and about 84 per cent of eligible people have been fully vaccinated.
Eastern Ontario Health Unit
More than 321,000 vaccine doses have been administered among a population of about 209,000. About 90 per cent of residents 12 and older are partially vaccinated, and about 85 per cent are fully vaccinated.
Some areas such as Cornwall lag behind in vaccinations and are struggling with the spread of the coronavirus.
WATCH | Cornwall woman 'really sorry that I wasn't vaccinated':
Details for its regular and pop-up vaccine clinics are regularly shared on its website and social media.
Leeds, Grenville and Lanark
The health unit has given nearly 294,000 doses to residents, seeing 97 per cent of its eligible population with at least one dose and about 93 per cent of those residents have at least two doses. Those rates continue to lead the province.
WATCH | LGL officials explain how they've done it:
The unit is posting walk-up vaccine locations on Twitter and online. Upcoming options include the North Grenville Municipal Centre Friday and Brockville Public Library on Saturday.
Hastings Prince Edward
Upcoming clinics include the Trenton United Church on Friday. There are regular clinics in Bancroft, Belleville and Picton
Nearly 254,000 doses have been administered to this area's residents. Another 5,200 or so doses have been given at CFB Trenton.
Eighty-eight per cent of the local population 12 and older has now had a first dose. Eighty-one per cent are fully vaccinated.
WATCH | Big-picture thinking about breakthrough cases:
Renfrew County
The health unit regularly shares pop-up and walk-in clinic information online. There are clinics in Barry's Bay and Renfrew on Thursday and Pembroke Tuesday.
It's extending its deadline for indoor organized sports vaccinations to Nov. 30.
With a population of about 109,000, Renfrew County has distributed about 154,000 doses.
About 87 per cent of its eligible population, including military at Garrison Petawawa, have at least a first dose and about 83 per cent are fully vaccinated.
