Lambton, Chatham-Kent have not vaccinated all LTC homes yet, despite provincial claims

Some long-term care homes in Lambton and Chatham-Kent are still waiting to receive first doses of the vaccine, despite provincial claims that all have gone through the first round.

In a statement Thursday, the Ministry of Long-term Care said all long-term care homes had gotten the first round of shots. That includes first doses for 62,000 residents, with 34,000 having received the second shot, the ministry said.

ButLambton Public Health and Chatham-Kent Public Health said they still have long-term care homes that need the first shot.

In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson for Lambton Public Health said first doses of the Moderna vaccine will be given to "all long-term care and high-risk retirement home residents (who want one) by the end of this week."

Additionally, they said that first doses are still being given to residents of Indigenous Elder Care homes on Walpole Island, Kettle & Stony Point and Aamijiwnaang First Nations communities.

Meanwhile, Chatham-Kent Public Health officials said in a COVID-19 news conference Thursday that it has given the first dose to all of its long-term care, except for Fairfield Park a long-term care homeexperiencing a significant COVID-19 outbreak.

As of Thursday, the home has24 active staff cases and 31 active resident cases, according toChatham-Kent Public Health.

"We are not sitting on very much vaccine at all in Chatham-Kent, but I do have enough to do Fairfield once that outbreak starts to settle down," said the region's medical officer of health Dr. David Colby. The health unit is aiming to vaccinate the home by next week.

In a follow-up e-mail, the Ministry of Long-Term Caresaid there had been"miscommunication,"acknowledging that a "small number of homes" have not completed their first doses yet.

Ontario's COVID-19 vaccine distribution task force had a goal of giving first doses to all residents of long-term care, high-riskretirement homes and First Nations elder care by Feb. 10.