Limited COVID-19 vaccines available for N.W.T. residents due to spoiled doses
Vaccines will be prioritized to those deemed high-risk
Most N.W.T. residents won’t be getting a COVID-19 shot for the time being because of a spoiled shipment of vaccines.
In a news release Friday, the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority (NTHSSA) said the supply of vaccines is limited due to a “temporary cold-chain issue”.
“That means that when you present at a public health walk-in flu clinic, you will only be offered a flu vaccine, unless you identify as high-risk of severe illness or complications and require a COVID-19 vaccine right away,” NTHSSA wrote.
Most COVID-19 vaccines must be refrigerated or frozen.
The health and social services authority said COVID-19 vaccine access will expand again once a new shipments arrive. The news release did not say when that’s expected to happen.
Until now, NTHSSA said there had been a strong uptake for both flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
Three communities submitted data for wastewater monitoring between Oct. 12 and Oct. 25.
The database shows a moderate viral load of COVID-19 in Yellowknife, a low viral load in Norman Wells and no viral load detected in Behchokǫ̀.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Screening clinics for tuberculosis opening up in Inukjuak, Que., amid rising cases across Nunavik, CBC News
