Health Department preparing to provide COVID-19 vaccine to those 80 and older

Whitby, Ontario - Residents over the age of 80 are advised that Durham Region Health Department is currently finalizing details for an online booking system and community-wide call centre for those who wish to register for a COVID-19 vaccine. These systems are scheduled to launch over the next few days to begin providing access to vaccine based on priority populations, as outlined by the province.

Since early January, the Health Department has worked with Lakeridge Health to ensure that all immediate priority groups, as outlined by the province, have been vaccinated. This included:

• Staff and essential caregivers in long-term care homes; high-risk retirement homes and First Nations elder care homes; and any residents from these settings who have not yet received a first dose of vaccine.
• Alternative level of care patients, in hospitals, who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care home for seniors.
• Highest Priority health care workers, followed by Very High Priority health care workers, in accordance with the Ontario Ministry of Health’s guidance on health care worker prioritization.
• Indigenous adults in northern remote and higher risk communities (including on-reserve and urban communities).

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 more information on the province’s plan and designated priority groups, visit covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-ontario. For current information on COVID-19 vaccine distribution for Durham Region, please visit www.durham.ca/covidvaccines. This web page will be updated regularly as the Health Department receives more vaccine supply from the province.

Quotes
As we’ve concluded with the previous priority groups, we are now ramping up to begin vaccinating those in the 80 and over population. It is important to understand that our vaccine supply is still limited, as we currently only have access to the Pfizer vaccine in Durham Region. As soon as we receive updated information regarding our vaccine supply, we will start to expand our clinic operations to begin vaccination of other priority populations based on the province’s three-phase vaccine distribution implementation plan.
- Dr. Robert Kyle, Durham Region Medical Officer of Health

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For more information, please contact the Health Department