The Ottawa area's weekly COVID-19 vaccination checkup: Dec. 9

Highlights:

• Officials keep pushingvaccinations for holiday gatherings.
• Third dose eligibility expands by age in Ontario.
• Quebec opens third doses to more groups, with more ages next month.
• Pfizer-BioNTechpushes athree-dose COVID-19 vaccinationto fight omicron.

Every Thursday, CBC Ottawa brings youthisroundup of COVID-19 vaccinationdevelopments throughoutthe region. You can find more information through links at the bottom of the page.

There have been more than3.8milliondoses administered in the wider Ottawa-Gatineau region; nearly80,000in the last week. That count has risenagain recently with child and third dose eligibility expanding.

Provincial picture

Top health officials say vaccines are a key tool to help keep people safe if they're gathering indoors for the holidays.

Quebecand Ontario say people should mask and distance if they're around unvaccinated people indoors, with Quebec's public health director going further to recommendnot to mix vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

• Quebec increases limit for indoor holiday gatherings
• Keep gatherings small to avoid holiday COVID-19 restrictions, experts urge

Ontario's science table says too many Ontarians are unvaccinated and that means there's still a risk of straining the health-care system in the coming weeks.

As a way to offer some sort of protection,Ontario isoffering theJohnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to adults "who have an allergy or contraindication to mRNA vaccines or at the request of an individualwho has not yet been vaccinated."

WATCH | Keep indoor gatherings small and vaccinated:

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Dr. Gerald Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Queen's University, says many new cases still originate at private gatherings, meaning its wise to limit the number of close contacts despite the effectiveness of vaccines.

Ontario is alsoexpanding third vaccine doses to people in their 50s and 60s as of Monday morning. People receiving dialysis are now eligible to receive a third vaccine dose if it has been 56 days since their second dose and people given some types of cell transplants or therapies should get another dose.

Quebec has expanded third-doseeligibility tohealth-care workers, people with chronic illnesses and other health issues, people from isolated and remote communities and pregnant people.

It's not doing its next age-based expansion untilJanuary, which means it isn't following recent national recommendations as closely as Ontario. Quebec has its own immunization committee.

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Quebec company Medicago is getting ready to submit data about its COVID-19 vaccine for final regulatory approval, which is a significant step for the pandemic and Canada's bio-pharmaceutical industry.

Eighty-seven per cent of Quebec residents age fiveand uphave had at least one dose and 81per cent are fully vaccinated.

About 85percent of Ontario residents born in 2016 and earlierhave at least one vaccine dose, while about 81per centare fully vaccinated.

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Pfizer and BioNTech are sharing preliminary findings thata three-shot course of their COVID-19 vaccinewas able to neutralize the new omicron variant in a laboratory test. It's the first official statement from vaccine manufacturers on the likely efficacy of their shot against the latest variant of concern.

WATCH | Pfizer-BioNTech's research into omicron:

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Pfizer-BioNTech have reported early findings that show three doses of their COVID-19 vaccine are more effective than two when it comes to neutralizing the omicron variant in lab settings. The World Health Organization cautioned against jumping to conclusions, saying the unvaccinated should get their first doses before worrying about third shots.

Ottawa

OPH has released a list of after-school drop-in clinicsfor younger children. There are a few options every dayuntil Dec. 23.

The capitalstill has regularandpop-up clinicsfor anyone eligible to get a first, second or third dose, as well asneighbourhood vaccine hubs,and it'sbringing mobile vaccine clinics to workplaceswho request it.

More than 1.7milliondoses have now been given to Ottawa residents.

Of the city's total population of just over one million, 83 per cent of residents have had at least one dose, including 87 per cent of residents born in 2016or earlier.

Seventy-sevenper centof the total population is fully vaccinated, as are 82per centof thepopulation age five and older.

About 69,000 residents have had a third dose.

Western Quebec

Parents are urged to make an appointment through the online system, but walk-in appointments for children will beavailable Saturdays at the Palais des Congrsbetween 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

CISSSOcontinues to list recurring,mobile and pop-upclinics online. Third doses are by appointment only.

The Outaouais has distributed about 632,000dosescombined first, second and third among a population of about 386,000.

A COVID-19 outbreak in Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg has disrupted its vaccination campaign.

Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington

The health unitisoffering shots to younger kids and boostersat three main clinics by appointment only, with walk-ins for other kinds of shots on some days.

There are child-only clinics ata different high school in the region eachweekthis weekthe Kingston Secondary School Thursday afternoon. More child-only clinics are in Stone Mills Thursday and the Napanee Community Health Centre Thursday, Sunday and Monday

Itshares the latest vaccination informationonline and on its social feeds.

About 88per cent of its population age fiveand older has at least one vaccine dose and about 83 per cent of that groupisfully vaccinated.

The region, with a population of about 213,000,has had more than 362,000 vaccine doses combined first, second and third given to residents.

About 33 per cent of the region's approximately 13,000newly eligible children have been vaccinated.About 19,000 residents have had a third dose.

Eastern Ontario Health Unit

The EOHU is accepting walk-ins for newly eligible childrenat certain clinics, on top of the appointments being offered at provincial clinics. Appointments are still preferred.

This weekend they're at Rockland's Jean-Marc Lalonde Arena Thursday afternoon and Cornwall Square on Friday.

Details for itsvaccine clinics are regularly shared on its website and social media. It prefers people try a pharmacy or family doctor for their third dose before a community clinic.

More than 347,000 vaccine doses have been administered, including more than11,800 third doses.

About 84per cent ofresidents five and older arepartially vaccinated, including about 20 per cent of its five-to-11 population,and about 80per cent are fully vaccinated.

WATCH | The medical officer of health's weekly update:

Leeds, Grenville and Lanark

Because of the new demand from children and those seeking a third dose, the health unit is not offering walk-in vaccinations at this time.Clinic locations and hours arelisted online and on social media; space for walk-ins may open up from time to time and they'll share it online if it does.

There will be kids-only clinics in Brockville and Smiths Fallsstartingthis weekend. Parents who qualify for a dose can get vaccinated at the same time as their child.

The health unit hasgiven about 315,000 doses to residents, which now includes about 11,800 third doses.

It is seeing 95per cent of itspopulation age 12 and up with at least one doseand about 93per cent of those residents have at least twodoses.

About 1,900 children born between 2010 and 2016 have had a first dose, which is about 16 per cent of its total.

Hastings Prince Edward

Appointments in Belleville andPictonare by appointment only.Bancroft's vaccinations are being handled by the local health team.

There's a clinic just for children age five to 11Thursday afternoon atTrenton High School. One or two household members can get vaccinated without an appointment as long as the child has an appointment.

Otheroptions are listedonthe health unit'swebsite.

About 279,000doses have been administered to this area's residents, including about 11,600 third doses.

Eighty-four per cent of thelocal population age five and older has had at least has a first dose, including about 2,300 doses for kids age five to 11. Seventy-eightper cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated.

Renfrew County

The health unitregularly shares pop-up and walk-inclinic information online. It includes a clinic for people age 12 and up in CobdenThursday at noon and child-only clinics Friday and Saturday in Pembroke.

Renfrew County's health unit hasdistributed more than 163,000 doses.

Just under 90per centof its population above age 12, including military at Garrison Petawawa,haveat least a first dose and about 87per cent are fully vaccinated. It isn't yet sharing data about younger children.