Program to bring vaccines to housebound Nova Scotians in the works, but it's complicated

As John Yorke waits his turn to get a COVID-19 vaccine,the New Glasgow, N.S., man hopeseveryone who has access does not delay getting their shot.

Yorke, 70, is housebound with multiple sclerosis. He receives twice daily home care visits from teams of two people, as well as two nursing care visits each week.

Although everyone wears personal protective equipment when they come to his house, Yorke said the level of traffic makes him even more aware of the fact he hasn't been vaccinated yet.

"I'm getting 30 outside visits a week in my home and I can't be guaranteed that they're all vaccinated," he said in an interview. "I am concerned about getting COVID myself."

Yorke is correct in his assessment of not everyone being vaccinated.

Aggregate data based on self-reporting show 40 to 75 per cent of home care workers are vaccinated, depending on the agency.

Logistical challenges to transporting vaccines

Tracey Barbrick, an associate deputy minister with the Health Department and the person overseeing the vaccine rollout, said officials are increasing the effort toencourage as many workers as possible to get vaccinated, although they cannot be forced to do so.

Meanwhile, work is underway to develop a program to bring vaccines to people such as Yorke, although Barbrick said there are logistical challenges to overcome first.

"This vaccine is really tricky to deal with," she said."Its time it can be out of the freezer is fairly limited ...and the time it can be in a syringe is quite short."

When vaccines are shipped to Nova Scotia and transported to the sites where they are stored and used, Barbrick said they're packed securely in a way that keeps themfrom being jostled too much and maintains a certain temperature. It's also being moved in trays, not single vials.

"What we're trying to work out is how do you take just a vial with maybe six doses and drive in a rural area of Nova Scotia and not corrupt that vaccine?" she said.

Barbrick said it's a challenge all provinces are trying to solve.

Officials in Nova Scotia are working on a prototype programinvolvinga small group of people in an effort to overcome these challenges. Some home care nurses are being trained to administer the vaccine as part of the prototype and Barbrick said if things go well, they would look at what's required to further expand that effort.

'We're not leaving anybody high and dry'

While the initial focus of the vaccine rollout has been to get to as many people as possible,as quickly as possible, Barbrick said they are also committed to getting access to people who are housebound.

"We're coming," she said. "We're not leaving anybody high and dry on this."

As for Yorke, he said not much in the last year has been different for him, although he'd feel more comfortable if he knew everyone he was coming into contact with has been vaccinated.

"I am, by nature, an introvert," he said. "I'm used to staying home. I've adapted to that. I've been living that way for 20 years."

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