Millennial's slow to take up first dose. Second dose vaccine confusion

Jeff Green | Jun 16, 2021

The issues that were at play during the initial weeks of the effort to get first doses of vaccine into the arms of as many people in the Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) region as possible, was mostly about supply and figuring out the logistics of running clinics.

Public health, primary care physicians, and pharmacists are now well versed in the protocols and logistics of preparing and delivering Pfiser, Moderna and Astrazeneca vaccine. The supply has increased and will be increasing even more in the coming weeks. It has become routine for 2,000 to 3,000 people to get vaccinated per day. The big days are now 4,000 dose days, and on one day, May 28, 4830 people got vaccinated in the region.

As of Monday, June 14, 72.6% of those eligible for vaccine, everyone who is 12 or over, had received a first dose. To put that in context, Canada now has the highest rate of first dose vaccination in the world at 64.1%, and we are well above that rate. It looks like most of the age group cohorts in KFL&A are taking advantage of the vaccination program, although the 25-40 year old population has been slower than those who are younger and older than them have been at getting vaccinated.

While 60.4% of those 18-24 have been vaccinated, and after only a couple of weeks of eligibility 41.8% of 12-17 year olds have already had a shot, the millennial generation seems to be less inclined to sign up. The numbers for millennials are: 53.3% (25-29), 53.8% (30-35), and 61% (35-39).

The percentage of KFL&A residents who have had two doses is now close to 14% of those over 12. Among the age cohorts that are eligible, the numbers are climbing fast, however. Over 49% of the over 80 population has received a second dose, for example, and as the 70 plus population is now eligible to book those numbers should rise by the end of June.

The new problem that has arisen is more about information than anything else. The provincial roll-out chart has dates on it for when the over 80 and over 70 population became eligible, but after that it has abandoned the age based barriers that we have all become accustomed to and switched to a system based on the date of the first dose. Anyone who received a vaccine before April 18, can now book a second dose on a “first in, first out basis” as the chart says, Anyone vaccinated between April 18 and May 9, will be eligible for a second dose after July 19, those vaccinated between May 10 and May 20th, will be eligible on August 1st, etc.

The chart says that these dates might change based on vaccine supply.

But we have also been been told that a 4 week interval between doses of Moderna or Pfiser is recommended, and even an 8 week interval for Astrazeneca is acceptable, so where did these new waiting period dates come from.

We have not been told why the birth date based system is being replaced, and all it has really done is cause confusion thus far.

Some of us remember the date of our first dose of COVID vaccine, but all of us know how old we are.

Many people are also confused about whether they should just wait until called or email about a second dose or they should check out the provincial website, call the booking system phone line, call their pharmacists or their doctor.

This is happening as Public Health officials are talking about the Delta variant and the need for a second dose.

This is not what we all need at the moment.

Our country, our province, and our communities are poised to come out of COVID in a very safe way as we get vaccinated. We have everything in place.

All we need is clear plan and simple instructions.