Health Department expands COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all residents 18+ in hot spot areas

Expanded eligibility also includes residents 50+ and individuals who cannot work from home - Group 1

Whitby, Ontario, May 3, 2021 – Effective May 3, Durham Region residents 18 and older who live in identified Ajax and Pickering hot spot postal codes, L1S, L1T, L1V, L1X and L1Z, will be eligible to book appointments for COVID-19 vaccine at mass immunization clinics located in Ajax (Audley Recreation Centre), Pickering (Chestnut Hill Developments Complex Arena) and Whitby (McKinney Centre). The expansion of eligibility for individuals in this priority group was announced by the province on April 29.

To book appointments at any of the hot spot pop-up clinics visit www.durham.ca/vaccineappointment or call 1-888-444-5113. To be eligible for vaccine, all residents must be at least 18-years old on the day of your vaccination appointment. As directed by the province, individuals under 18-years old are not eligible to be vaccinated.

As part of the strategy to reach as many residents as possible living in hot spot communities, Durham Region Health Department will be holding four upcoming rotating hot spot pop-up clinics for the L1Z, L1V, L1T and L1S hot spot postal code areas as follows:

May 6, 7 and 8 – Rotating pop-up clinic for L1Z hot spot residents

St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School

15 Fishlock Street, Ajax

Appointments will be available for booking on May 3 at 9 p.m.

May 13, 14 and 15 – Rotating pop-up clinic for L1V hot spot residents

Dunbarton High School

655 Sheppard Avenue, Pickering

Appointments will be available for booking on May 3 at 9 p.m.

May 20, 21 and 22 – Rotating pop-up clinic for L1T hot spot residents

McLean Community Centre

95 Magill Drive, Ajax

Appointments will be available for booking on May 17 at 9 p.m.

May 27, 28 and 29 – Rotating pop-up clinic for L1S hot spot residents

Ajax Community Centre

75 Centennial Road, Ajax

Appointments will be available for booking on May 24 at 9 p.m.

To book appointments for all rotating hot spot pop-up clinics, visit www.durham.ca/vaccineappointment or call 1-888-444-5113.

In addition to the above clinics, hot spot residents can also access postal code specific walk-in mobile clinics, as well as the fixed-site hot spot pop-up clinic located at the Ajax Community Centre; however, please note bookings are currently full for all Ajax Community Centre hot spot pop-up clinics.

The province also recently announced expanded eligibility for residents 50 and older, or those who will be turning 50 this year, and essential workers who cannot work from home – Group 1. Individuals in these groups are eligible to book appointments at any community mass immunization clinic located in each Durham Region municipality. For information on clinic locations and additional eligibility requirements visit www.durham.ca/covidvaccines. Residents are asked to book only one appointment per person. Also, if you already have an appointment and choose to book for another time or at a different clinic location, please remember to cancel the first appointment to avoid duplication, helping to ensure appointments are available for everyone.

Area residents 40 and older, or who will be turning 40 this year, are also eligible to book appointments through participating pharmacies to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. For information on participating Durham Region pharmacies see https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations. The AstraZeneca vaccine pharmacy program is overseen by the province.

Area residents should understand that as eligibility continues to expand to other age groups, demand for vaccine will also increase. It is important to note that eligibility for vaccine does not mean that vaccine appointments will be available immediately. The Health Department notes that appointments for mass immunization clinics and all hot spot pop-up clinics, as well as the provision of mobile clinics, are based on vaccine availability. Once vaccines spots have been fully booked, appointments are no longer available. As additional vaccine is confirmed, more spots will be added.

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For more information, please contact the Health Department.