Hello,
 
I hope that you are doing well and that you are able to make the most of these nice summer days. I look forward to going out and meeting the people in the community. This possibility of more gatherings is getting closer as a certain sense of normalcy is slowly coming back. Here are some updates about these new developments and about what I have been up to.
 
Vaccine update
 
In Ottawa, the numbers keep getting better and that’s what we have been hoping for! I want to thank you all again, for doing your part and I want to thank all the staff that is doing remarkable work to guide and reassure us on the vaccination sites. If you have not had your first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, you are highly encouraged to do so by booking them through the provincial portal.
 
By now, all individuals 12 and up are eligible to book a first or second dose of the vaccine. It is important to remember that there is a wait period of 28 days between each dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) and a wait period of 8 weeks if your first dose was the AstraZeneca vaccine. Those who have had the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose still have the option to choose a second dose of AstraZeneca or of an mRNA vaccine. For more information on COVID-19 vaccines, visit this link.

Family Medicine Community Roundtable
 
Last Thursday, I held a virtual community roundtable to learn more about your experiences with access to family medicine. The event sparked many enriching conversations. Roundtables and other events such as these are beneficial opportunities to learn from residents in the riding and to share information on different issues as well as to better understand what is important to you. Thank you to all those who participated.
 
Dr. Abdulla and Dr. Lajeunesse, who were our two special guests, shared the background of the challenges they themselves face as family doctors. We appreciated them sharing their experiences, their suggestions on bettering family medicine, and the insight they provided on how our health care system works. The contribution of our participants in conversations as well as during the Q&A portion of the event will help us to push for changes that are necessary to improve accessibility to family doctors. You can watch the first segment of the roundtable here!
 
Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopening
 
Today, the province moved to Step Three of the Roadmap to Reopen. I think it’s safe to say that we all are glad to see that following public health measures and getting vaccines in arms is working and that we’ll be able to appreciate this summer. I highly encourage everyone to continue doing their part! As these measures have been working, we are now able to do more activities inside and have larger gatherings, while following public health guidelines. Here’s what’s changed from Step Two.
 
Step Three means indoor activities are able to resume. It’s a great time to remember to shop local! Our local businesses need our help to get back on their feet. Your support is important in the economic recovery of our community. It’s also a great time to explore our neighbourhoods and to discover or re-discover everything that Ottawa Vanier has to offer. I hope to see you around very soon.
 
Take care,
Lucille