Health Department launches #RollUpYourSleevesDurham to provide COVID-19 vaccine for area residents

Whitby, Ontario - Beginning Monday, March 8 at 8 a.m., residents of Durham Region can begin registering for appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine—beginning with individuals over the age of 80—via an online booking system or a central telephone booking line.

• Monday, March 8 at 8 a.m.: Online and phone registration is open to Durham residents over the age of 80 (born in 1941 or earlier).
• Tuesday, March 9: Appointments begin at Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in Clarington; or the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex in Pickering.

Individuals over the age of 80, born in 1941 or earlier, can begin registering through the online booking system at www.durham.ca/vaccineappointment on Monday, March 8 for appointments that start on Tuesday, March 9. Seniors who are unable to use the online booking system are invited to call the Call Centre Booking Line at 1-800-841-2729 to register.

The Oshawa clinic site, at Durham College and Ontario Tech University, is currently completing vaccination for health care providers and is expected to transition to individuals 80 years and older early next week, at which time the community will be notified.

The Health Department is also planning to offer mobile clinics to provide vaccine to populations and individuals who may have difficulty accessing larger clinics. More details regarding mobile clinics will be available in the coming weeks.

The Health Department has also identified locations for future community-based vaccination clinics, based on the province’s vaccine distribution implementation plan. Working with local area municipalities, locations have been secured in all Durham Region municipalities—providing access to vaccinations in the community where the individual lives.

A listing of all community-wide vaccination clinics is available at durham.ca/covidvaccines. Access to these vaccination clinics will also be through the above-noted online and call centre booking system. Details regarding these clinics and pre-registration will be available in the coming weeks, once vaccine supply starts to increase from the province.

The provincial government is leading the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in Ontario through a three-phased distribution implementation plan. Currently, the province is in Phase 1 of the plan. For information on the province’s plan and designated priority groups, visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-ontario. More information on the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan for Durham Region is available at durham.ca/covidvaccines.

Quotes:
“Vaccinating our most vulnerable senior residents is of the utmost importance, and we are thrilled to be starting the COVID-19 vaccination process. While this is very hopeful news, this is just the first step in the long road ahead of us to vaccinate as many Durham Region residents as possible. The infrastructure laid out during this first phase will be crucial to the further rollout of the vaccine in the near future. Please continue to make informed decisions to keep yourself, family, friends and neighbours safe until the vaccine rollout is completed.”
- John Henry, Regional Chair and CEO

“We’re very pleased to be offering COVID-19 vaccine to the 80 and older population as outlined in the province’s vaccine distribution plan. As soon as we receive more vaccine and the province gives the go ahead to begin additional Phases of the vaccination process, Health Department staff will be prepared to move to the next designated priority group. We ask for everyone’s patience as we work through each Phase of the plan to help us ensure that everyone in our community has access to COVID-19 vaccine.”
- Dr. Robert Kyle, Durham Region Medical Officer of Health

- 30 -

For more information, please contact the Health Department