quebec is poised to vaccinate at least 80 per cent of the adult population with one dose by june 24, which would mean going beyond the initial goal by more than five per cent. and with nearly 48,000 pfizer-biontech doses expected early this week , the provincial government has decided to modify the clic santé online portal to permit quebecers to move up appointments for a second dose, a high-ranking source confirmed.
with so many adults having already received their first doses, the west central montreal health authority decided over the long weekend to offer shots to those aged 12 to 17 without an appointment . other health authorities are expected to follow suit this week, the source added.
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meanwhile, authorities at the ciusss du centre-ouest were taken by surprise by the turnout among 12- to 17-year-olds at the bill-durnan arena in côte-des-neiges. more than 1,000 youths who showed up at the arena without an appointment received shots from saturday to monday, prompting the health authority to secure additional vaccine supplies to meet the demand.
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on tuesday, quebec will open bookings across the province on clic santé for youth appointments, with the goal of having at least 75 per cent of those in that age demographic inoculated with one dose by june 23. the vaccines have not yet been approved for use in children under the age of 12.
dupuis acknowledged it’s been difficult to reach some low-income and racialized communities, and that’s the reason for the pop-up clinics. the health authority is also seeking to provide second doses to those living in municipally-subsidized housing in the west end.
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