PSW reflects on being the first person in Windsor to get a COVID-19 vaccine shot one year ago
CBC
Reflecting on this day last year, Krystal Meloche recalls how "overwhelming" it all was.
At the time, Meloche, who worked at Seasons Belle River retirement home, was the first person in Windsor to receive the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The shot came after Meloche's father died from COVID-19. After being on the frontlines of the pandemic for months and seeing the impact it had on her family, she said it was "such an honour" to be considered for the shot.
Meloche was one of 2,000 people in the region at the time expected to be vaccinated with the first supply of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, which had arrived on Dec. 21, 2020.
And while Meloche remembers the joy of that moment, she said what followed was a lot of "negativity" from some people who judged her decision to get vaccinated.
"I did this for my reasons, not for anybody's else's," she said. "No one lived what I went through, no one lived what my family went through so when I chose this opportunity and was offered this and said 'yes,' I did this mainly for my dad."
She recalled how COVID-19 affected every person in her home except for herself in May 2020.
"It got to the point that I had my father in hospital [on] life support, I had a sister who was younger than me who was right behind him, she was just as sick and at one point it was a matter of we didn't know what was going to happen to either ... it was very scary," she said.
LISTEN: Meloche talks about the impact COVID-19 on her family
Meloche said her sister is doing a lot better, but is still dealing with lasting health conditions because of COVID-19, such as asthma.
Though lots has changed since last December, Meloche said the surge of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron has made her realize that this will likely be around for quite some time.
"We have come far, but it feels like the past few weeks that we have kind of taken a step back," she said. "It's not really going away."
Windsor Regional Hospital chief of staff Dr. Wassim Saad said while it can feel as though we're back in the same spot, "we are in a much better place now, than we were previously."
He described the first vaccine administration as "momentous" and noted that it "ushered in a new way to fight this pandemic."
But he said that the last year has also been hard on the healthcare system and workers.
Every December, we remind you of some of the most interesting stories CBC Hamilton shared throughout the year.
Sharing with those less fortunate than yourself is a common theme during the Christmas season — but for Fred and Elyse Maindonald, it's more than just a holiday sentiment.
Whether you’re taking transit to visit loved ones, watching Die Hard in theatres or lacing up a pair of ice skates, you’ll want to know what’s open and closed this holiday season.
For the next two weeks, some services around Waterloo region and Guelph will be closed or have altered hours because of the statutory holidays.
Yellowknife's Explorer Hotel was left with extensive damage after a vehicle crashed into the hotel's lobby late in the day on Christmas Eve.
With the final days of 2025 rapidly falling to the wayside, Canadians are likely taking stock of the last 12 months.
A new study finds that more than half of the most dangerous winter roads in Canada are in Ontario, with weather, wildlife, and urban factors contributing to collisions.
Welcome to everyone's least favourite time of year for air travel.
For some, the holiday season means packing their bags to spend time with loved ones, some of whom are half a world away.
The IWK is urging people in the Maritimes to get vaccinated for the flu after reporting a big increase in the number of children coming to emergency rooms with flu-like symptoms.
J.D. Irving has secured an agreement to sell power from the large wind farm it's building in western New Brunswick to N.B. Power.
One of the most influential voices advocating for Quebec's Lower North Shore region has fallen silent. Randy Jones, a political figure and ardent defender of his region, has died. He was 69.
Some health-care leaders are questioning how Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew can confidently declare his government will end long waits for health-care services by the end of 2026.