1st doses of Moderna vaccine administered on P.E.I.

P.E.I.'s COVID-19 vaccination program took another step forward Friday with the addition of the Moderna vaccine.

The first doses of that vaccinewere administered at Wedgewood Manor, a long-term care home in Summerside, on Friday morning.

And first on the list for that vaccine was 86-year-old resident Doreen Wooder. Wooder credited P.E.I. Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison for her comfort in receiving the vaccine.

"[It was] because Heather Morrison did such a great job of protecting Islanders and giving sound advice that I and my husband both decided that we'd get the vaccine," she said.

"There's always a chance we can live a little longer, and I wasn't planning on going anywhere else right now."

Wooder said she hopes she will soon be able to go out or have someone in for a game of bridge, pleasures foregone during the 10-month pandemic.

Two other homes also slated for shots

Residents of Gillis Lodge and Summerset Manor were also on the list to be vaccinated on Friday, the province says.

Prince Edward Island's vaccination program began on Dec. 16 with health care workers receiving initial doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Front-line health care workers and long-term care home residents have been the targets in this first round of vaccinations. The province plans to have all medically eligible residents of long-term and community care facilities vaccinated by Jan. 22.

About 3,600 Islanders have been vaccinated, with some health-care workers receiving their second dose this week.

Both the Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines require a booster shot three weeks after the initial dose in order to reach maximum effectiveness.

The next phase of vaccinations will include adults in Indigenous communities;people living in congregate living facilities such asgroup homes;truck drivers and some types of rotational workers; all otherhealth-care workers; and those over the age of 80.

That will be followed by Islanders over 75, then those over 70, and so on until everyone willing to receive the vaccine gets it, which is expected to happen by the end of the summer.

Reminder about symptoms

The symptoms of COVID-19 can include:

• Fever.
• Cough or worsening of a previous cough.
• Possible loss of taste and/or smell.
• Sore throat.
• New or worsening fatigue.
• Headache.
• Shortness of breath.
• Runny nose.

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