Hamilton seniors 80 and older will get COVID-19 vaccine, as city launches new clinic

Hamilton residents aged 80 and older will be among the next group of locals to get the COVID-19 vaccine as roughly 5,000 to 6,000 doses are on their way.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, the city's medical officer of health, gave media the details on Tuesday.

Others also next in line to get the vaccine include:

• Residents and caregivers in retirement homes and congregate settings.
• Health-care workers at the highest risk of getting the virus.
• Indigenous adults and adult recipients of chronic home care.

Richardson said she hopes all of these groups will get their first doses early in March.

"It's going to continue being a gradual rollout," she said.

The city is also launching a new, large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's (SJHH) West 5th Campus.

The clinic opens on March 1 and will be used on an ongoing basis to accommodate residents eligible for vaccine and able to attend the on-site clinic according to a release from the city.

"Once the clinic opens, appointment bookings will become available to eligible recipients. The clinic will be available on a by-appointment only basis, there will be no option for walk-ins," read the release.

"The SJHH clinic is anticipated to start administering the vaccine slowly, with its full capacity being 2,000 vaccines per day."

As of the end of Wednesday, 26,082 doses have been administered to locals, according to public health data.

The mobile clinic has administered 8,843 doses and the fixed clinic has administered 17,239 doses.

No new deaths as local COVID-19 figures decrease

Hamilton Public Health Services is reporting 46 new cases of COVID-19.

There are 290 active cases of COVID-19 in the city with no new death linked to the virus in the last 24 hours.

Hamilton's weekly rate of new cases per 100,000 people is at 39.

Since March 277 people have died after contracting COVID-19.

There have been 9,965 cases (confirmed and probable) since the pandemic began and the total number of resolved cases stands at 9,234.

Hamilton hospitals have 43 COVID-19 patients. There are also 17 outbreaks in the city.

The outbreak in the E2 unit at Juravinski Hospital is over. It infected 28 residents, 16 staff and was linked to three deaths. The outbreak at St. Peter's Residence at Chedoke Long-Term Care Home is also over after infecting one resident and three workers.

Brant

A COVID-19 variant of concern has been detected in the county of Brant.

The county, and Brantford, have 29 active cases according to data online. There were four new cases in the last 24 hours.

There have been 1,414 cases since March and 12 deaths. There's no one currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

A total of 1,373 cases have been marked as resolved.

There have been 4,539 vaccine doses administered.

Haldimand-Norfolk

Haldimand and Norfolk counties are reporting a total of 11 active cases of COVID-19 with one new case reported during the last 24 hours.

There have been 1,385 cases throughout the pandemic. Of those 1,330 are marked as recovered.

The local public health unit has linked the virus to 39 deaths.

There have been 2,865 vaccine doses administered.

Halton

The number of COVID-19 cases in Halton rose by 45, for a total of 9,138 cases (confirmed and probable) since March.

Data shows 253 of those cases are active.

Four of the new cases were in Burlington, which has seen 2,352 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. There are 37 active cases in the city.

A total of 189 people across the region have died after being infected with the virus, 49 of them in Burlington.

The region has seen 18,714 vaccine doses administered.

Niagara

Niagara is reporting three new cases of COVID-19. The region has seen 8,402 cases over the course of the pandemic, including 330 that are active.

There have been 363 deaths linked to the virus over the course of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, 7,752 cases are now marked as resolved.

A total of 8.694 vaccines doses have been administered.

Six Nations

Six Nations of the Grand River has 42 active COVID-19 cases, according to Ohsweken Public Health.

There have been 243 cases reported over the course of the pandemic.

Three people have died and 198 cases are marked as resolved.