Lower city pharmacies among 32 new locations for COVID-19 vaccines in Hamilton

Dozens more pharmacies are set to begin offering COVID-19 vaccinations in Hamilton — including 11 in the lower city.

The locations are among more than 700 being added to the rollout of shots at pharmacies across the province, which was announced on Sunday. The new sites include 20 in Burlington, 19 in Niagara and one in Brantford.

Each pharmacy will begin offering appointments for people 55 and older to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine starting this week. Addresses will be added to the  pharmacy list as they begin doling out doses, according to the province.

"With more local pharmacies coming on board, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine will be easier and more convenient for eligible populations across the province," said Ontario's Minister of Health, Christine Elliott, in a media release. "I strongly encourage everyone to get vaccinated when it's their turn."

Local elected officials expressed outrage when the initial list of pharmacies offering shots in the area was released and didn't include any in the lower city, pointing to essential workers and "vulnerable people" living in those neighbourhoods.

"This exclusion is incomprehensible and irresponsible given the risks in lower and inner-city Hamilton," the statement continued," read a joint statement from city councillors, an MP and Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath.

A McMaster University professor also released analysis stating the first round of Hamilton pharmacies failed the city's poorest residents by forcing them to travel much farther for a shot.

Provincial officials said they aim to have roughly 1,500 pharmacies offering the vaccine by the end of the month.

Ten pharmacies in Hamilton were included on the province's list as of Monday morning.

"We are enabling Ontarians to access vaccines conveniently and closer to home by bringing more distribution channels on board," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones in the Sunday media release.

"With the increasing spread of variants of concern and case counts in the thousands each day, we encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated and protect yourself and your family. For those still waiting, please be patient as your turn is coming."

Here's a list of the new pharmacy locations coming to Hamilton:

• Shoppers Drug Mart #742 - 101 Osler Dr.

• Shoppers Drug Mart #754 - 801 Mohawk Rd. W.

• Shoppers Drug Mart # 1299 - 1411 Upper Sherman Ave.

• Paramount Pharmasave - 1050 Paramount Dr.

• Rexall # 6946 - 126 Queenston Rd.

• Shoppers Drug Mart # 1053 - 232 Cannon St. E.

• Wal-Mart Pharmacy - 675 Upper James St.

• Drugstore Pharmacy # 4072 - 54 Wilson St. W.

• Lee's Dundas Pharmacy - 58 King St. E.

• Shoppers Drug Mart #752 - 661 Upper James St.

• Loblaw Pharmacy # 4254 - 1579 Main St. W.

• Axis Health Care Plus Pharmacy - 908 Garth St.

• Rexall - 18-2 King St. W.

• Loblaw Pharmacy # 4365 - 50 Dundurn St.

• People's Pharamchoice - 4-30 Rymal Rd. E.

• First Place Pharmacy - 350 King St. E.

• Rastin's Wilson St. Pharmacy - 323 Wilson St. E.

• Marchese Pharmacy - 316 James St. N.

• Stonechurch Pharmacy - 3-25 Redmond Dr.

• Food Basics Pharmacy # 580 - 751 Upper James St. S.

• Metro Pharmacy #504 - 1161 Barton St. E.

• Pharmasave #955 - 105 King St. W.

• Rexall #8211 - 730 Upper James St.

• City Centre IDA Pharmacy - 77 James St. N.

• Sobeys Pharmacy #7213 977 Golf Links Rd.

• TLS Regal Care Drug Mart - 2-480 Stonechurch Rd. E.

• Pharmasave #953 - 1575 Upper Ottawa St.

• Sherman IDA Pharmacy - 675 Rymal Rd. E.

• Sutherland's Pharmacy Limited - 180 James St. S.

• Rymal Gage Pharmacy - 153-905 Rymal Rd. E.

• Shoppers Drug Mart #1460 - 1341 Main St. W.

• Mountain View Pharmacy Clinic - 26-1070 Stone Church Road E.