WINDSOR, ONT. -- Chatham Kent’s Medical Health Officer is hopeful mass vaccinations in the municipality could begin in April.

However, Dr. David Colby said the limiting factor is not finding an indoor space for people, or finding workers to give the shot, but the rather getting enough vaccines.

“Depending on supply of vaccine, we should be able to vaccinate 10,000 people a day,” he says.

Colby was optimistic after the province told him to expect more shipments of the vaccine next week and the week following, which should complete the immunization of residents in long-term care homes.

Colby said production delays at Pfizer were dealt with and new vaccines, awaiting approval, should help add to the overall supply.

At this point, public health is looking at the John D. Bradley Convention Centre for a mass vaccination site with pop-up clinics to help serve people in rural areas of Chatham-Kent.

Colby said a provincial call centre would help residents outside the city register for vaccinations and traditional media and social media will help keep people posted on developments.

Meanwhile some grey-lockdown restrictions have been lifted in Chatham-Kent as the municipality’s CAO said public ice arenas are expected to reopen on Saturday and municipal indoor pools should begin to welcome swimmers on Monday.

“There will be a restriction of ten people at a time, but people who want to swim lengths will be able to do so Feb. 22,” stated Don Shropshire.

Still not all business owners are not taking full advantage of the new measures, which allow a small number of customers back into premises.

Mayor Darrin Canniff said it is hard economically to reopen with just ten people and some retailers remain closed while some restaurants have continued take-out and delivery only without dining.

Canniff said with talk of the vaccine people might become complacent and they need to remain cautious.