ANTIGONISH: The Mayor of Antigonish and Warden of Antigonish County are very happy to be receiving one of the provincial COVID-19 vaccination clinics, locally, on the campus of StFX University.
“I want to thank StFX for jumping at the opportunity to house it on campus,” Warden Owen McCarron told The Reporter. “We are happy that our residents will not have to travel to other areas of the province to attend a clinic.”
For approximately the next six months, the vaccination clinic will be taking place in the MacKay Room at the Bloomfield Centre.
Mayor Laurie Boucher advised this is truly great news for the community.
“We have been doing well in Antigonish,” Boucher said. “But we realize how much easily our health community can be compromised.”
The warden indicated it is absolutely critical that they host a testing site in Antigonish.
“We have a large population of seniors, many who have barely left their homes in the past year let alone the community,” McCarron said. “By having a clinic here in the community, it makes it an easy option for everyone to attend.”
Boucher agreed, noting not only do they have a high population of seniors, but their population doubles when StFX students return to the community.
“We know that young adults are predominantly asymptomatic,” she said. “The faster we get people vaccinated, the better.”
McCarron suggested if the clinic was in a neighbouring community, the percentage of people attending from Antigonish would likely be much lower.
“Therefore putting our community at a greater risk,” McCarron said.
They both believe having a local testing site will add a layer of comfort for people within the community.
“For some, getting the vaccine will be an exciting time, to see the light at the end of a very long tunnel,” McCarron said. “But there are likely some people who are still hesitant, so to have it here in the community in a place people are familiar with, should ease some of those thoughts.”
Boucher suggested the majority of residents have been very good to keep their travel limited to essential reasons.
“But having a vaccination site in our community will enable residents to get the vaccine without travel,” she said. “Thus, encouraging people to be more comfortable traveling around the community.”