North Bay Parry Sound Health Unit looking ahead to vaccine rollout, as businesses start to re-open

North Bay merchants thrilled to start reopening North Bay businesses are thrilled to start reopening as North Bay and Parry Sound districts enter into the red zone.

North Bay — The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit is hoping to become more transparent with its residents.

Health officials announced plans to hold a weekly virtual news conference where a team of public health experts will be available to answer questions and provide the latest pandemic response information, especially as the vaccine rollout progresses.

"I have heard the call for more dialogue and more access to information," said the area's medical officer of health, Dr. Jim Chirico.

The health unit will also begin holding a bi-weekly municipal leaders meeting, which will convene regularly to consult and coordinate on the pandemic response.

On Monday morning, the health unit’s virtual press conference covered topics on the latest vaccine update, why the region is in the red-control zone in the provincial framework, as well as updates regarding the COVID-19 variants of concern.

The health unit confirmed that all North Bay Parry Sound residents who want to get the COVID-19 vaccine are expected to receive their first dose by June 30 and Andrea McLellan, director of the health unit’s COVID-19 immunization strategy, provided the details.

"We are currently completing vaccinations for those residents in long-term care homes, and First Nation elder care facilities, and their staff, as well as alternate level care patients in hospital, who are now due for their second dose of the vaccine," McLellan said.

To date, nearly 4,500 vaccines have been administered in the North Bay and Parry Sound districts.

The health unit is fully focused on administering vaccines to its highest-priority health care workers and people 80 years of age or older in the coming weeks. The health unit hopes the approval of the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will speed up the process.

"We do not have confirmation of Ontario's rollout plan for these vaccines, but we are hopeful these new approvals will speed up the rollout in our district," McLellan said.

The health unit is awaiting more guidance from the provincial government on when pharmacies can give out the vaccine. But, it has its large-scale mass immunization centre locations chosen.

"We are planning to hold our larger-scale immunization clinics in North Bay, Parry Sound, Mattawa, West Nipissing and the Sundridge area," McLellan said.

Meanwhile, Monday marked the first day the North Bay and Parry Sound Districts moved out of the stay-at-home order and back into the province’s colour-coded framework.

With that, it was a fresh day of business for John Lechlitner, the owner of Cecil’s Brewhouse and Kitchen. The restaurant can now allow up to 10 patrons inside at a time.

"It's a good optimistic feeling," he said. "Things are moving in the right direction and I think the community has been very careful."

It’s the same good feeling over at Alger Furniture & Appliances. General Manager Ian Alger said there was a lineup outside of the door Monday morning before it even opened.

"We're excited to welcome back people into the store for shopping," he said. "It started right at 9 o'clock this morning. We had a line outside of people waiting to come in and eager to shop."

Under the red-control zone, limits for all organized public events and social gatherings, where physical distancing can be maintained is five people indoors and 25 people outdoors.

Outdoor dining, take out, drive through, and delivery is permitted for restaurants and bars, but no buffet-style service is allowed.

Meanwhile, retail capacity limits include 75 per cent for supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, convenience stores, pharmacies and 50 per cent for all other retail, including discount and big-box retailers, liquor stores, cannabis stores, hardware stores and garden centres

Stores must post capacity limit publicly and they must have passive screening for patrons.