Want to know who's getting vaccinated this week? Here's a look ahead

Health-care workers, shelter workers and people aged 85 and older are on the list for the COVID-19 vaccine in Hamilton this week.

More than 15,270 people are fully vaccinated in Hamilton now, and health-care agencies have administered more than 33,850 doses of the vaccine so far, both through a fixed Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) site and a mobile clinic. 

Meanwhile, the provincial government is working on providing public health units with a vaccine booking tool to implement locally.

Once this is launched, the following age groups will become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination: 

• 3rd week of March for those 80 years old or older.
• April 15 for those aged 75+.
• May 1 for those aged 70+.
• June 1 for those aged 65+.
• July 1 for those 60 and older. 

Here's what's happening at your local health unit this week:

Hamilton

A Hamilton Public Health Services (HPHS) mobile vaccine clinic is now offering COVID-19 vaccines to workers and residents in Hamilton's shelter system.

The mobile clinic team is working collaboratively with the Shelter Health Network and shelter staff on the planning and implementation of pop-up mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics for clients at all shelter sites until March 2.

Vaccination of health-care and community health-care workers

The HHS fixed-site clinic has been completing the administration of 2nd doses of vaccination to health-care workers and has restarted administering first doses to health-care workers (from hospitals and from the community). 

Community health-care workers can register to receive an appointment by visiting hamilton.ca/VaccineRegistration, registration for this group opened on Feb, 24. This is a by-appointment only clinic, and walk-ins are not permitted.

Vaccination of adults 85 years of age and older

HPHS is now offering vaccine to those 85 years and older.  Those 80 to 84 years of age will become eligible over the coming weeks. A number of clinic sites are being set up:

• Effective today, the St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton (SJHH) West 5th COVID-19 vaccine clinic begins to vaccinate adults 85 years of age and older.  To quickly begin scheduling appointments, those who are 85 years + in this calendar year and live in Hamilton and who have received care at a Hamilton hospital or a Hamilton hospital clinic over the past six months will be contacted with an appointment time beginning today.  Members of this group who have not received care at a Hamilton hospital or a Hamilton hospital clinic over the past six months, and would like to register for a vaccine, can call the Public Health Services COVID-19 vaccine hotline at (905) 974-9848, option 7.

Beginning March 3, the mobile clinic will be setting up pop-up vaccination clinics at the following locations:

• Winona: Saltfleet Community Centre.
• Glanbrook/Mount Hope: Municipal Service Centre.
• Ancaster: Ancaster Rotary Club.
• Dundas: Dundas Community Centre.
• Waterdown/Flamborough: Harry Howell Arena.
• Additional clinic sites within neighbourhoods disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 — final sites to be announced in coming days.

These are all appointment-only clinics, and walk-ins are not permitted.

Brant/Brantford

Brant County Health Unit has announced the sites for COVID-19 mass immunization clinics beginning this week for people 80 years and older,.

Two sites will host the COVID-19 mass immunization clinics. These sites will be located at One Market on the Wilfrid Laurier Brantford campus (1 Market St.. Brantford) and the Paris Fairground (139 Silver St. Paris). 

These sites will operate as Brant's main mass immunization sites until the completion of phase two of the province's three-phase vaccine distribution implementation plan. The sites will run in conjunction with additional on-site and mobile clinics designed to vaccinate specific population groups. More information on this can be accessed by viewing Brant's COVID-19 vaccination plan overview.

Information for appointment booking for Brant residents, aged 80 and older, is available at bchu.org/COVID19Vaccines.  

Haldimand-Norfolk

Vaccination of Haldimand and Norfolk's long-term care and retirement home residents is complete, while vaccination of health-care workers continues.

Once the vaccination of health-care workers is complete, doses will be allocated to residents in the community who are 80 or older. 

Only when all priority groups have had the opportunity will the vaccine be offered to members of the public who wish to receive it.

An announcement will be made when vaccines are available to members of the general public. 

Updates will be provided to the community on an ongoing basis.

Due to uncertainty regarding vaccine availability and timing, the COVID-19 vaccine task force has been actively working to plan and implement community vaccination clinics.

In Haldimand, the Dunnville Community Lifespan Centre and Cayuga Memorial Arena will be utilized as community vaccine clinics.

In Norfolk, the Vittoria and District Community Centre and Norfolk General Hospital will be used as community vaccine clinics.

Halton

Halton is ready to open vaccination clinics for prioritized populations once vaccine supplies are secured by the federal government.

Clinics are located in each municipality and have been selected based on the ability to maintain health and safety measures, accessibility and amenities:

• Gellert Community Centre, 10241 Eighth Line, Georgetown.
• St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre, 1280 Dundas St. W., Oakville.
• Compass Point Bible Church, 1500 Kerns Rd., Burlington.
• Milton Centre for the Arts, 1010 Main St. E., Milton.

These are initial locations and other clinics may be identified as required.

Quick Clinic Facts:

• The clinics are not yet open to the general public. The clinics will first serve priority populations identified by the province, beginning with adults 80 years of age and older.

• Information on clinic openings and how to book an appointment will be available when the amount of vaccines is confirmed. The public and current priority populations will be notified through a variety of print and digital channels when the booking system is ready and more details are confirmed.

• Planning is also underway to provide additional supports such as transportation for residents who require them. More information will be provided as those details are confirmed.

Niagara

Across Niagara, more than 20,260 COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered to long-term care and retirement home workers and residents, essential caregivers, and hospital staff and physicians.

Niagara Health's vaccination clinic at the Seymour Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre in St. Catharines will begin vaccinating community health-care workers identified in the highest and very high priority groups as set out by the Ministry of Health in its risk-based guidance document. This work will take place over the next several months.

The next health-care providers to be immunized at the hospital clinic in the Highest Priority Group will include:

• Medical first responders such as paramedics, firefighters and police.

• Community health-care workers serving Indigenous populations.

• Community health-care workers serving specialized populations, including needle exchange and home and community care.

Health-care providers in the very high priority group to be immunized will include:

• Community health care with high-risk exposure serving general population such as primary care, community-based specialists, dentistry, pharmacies and walk-in clinic staff.

• Congregate settings such as Hospices, assisted living, supportive housing, corrections and shelters.

• Laboratory services.

Vaccinations are by appointment only and those eligible will be contacted directly to register for their appointment when it is time for their group to receive vaccinations. 

For information on the region's mass immunization plan, please visit Niagara Region Public Health's dedicated webpage.