40 or older? You can now get a COVID-19 vaccine at a mass clinic in Windsor-Essex

Those 40 and up now have more opportunity to book a COVID-19 vaccination in Windsor-Essex.

As of Monday morning, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is allowing anyone born in 1981 or earlier to book their first shot at one the six local mass vaccination clinics.

Previously, those 40 and up were only eligible to get vaccines at pharmacies, if they lived in a hot spot postal code or had a qualifying health condition or occupation.

Windsor-Essex has expanded eligibility to the 40-plus population a few days ahead of the province, which is going ahead with a Thursday rollout.

The province also intends to offer vaccination bookings to the remaining priority group of essential workers starting on Tuesday.

Dr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health, isn't committing to that eligibility date but said he wants to be closely aligned with the province.

"We have to look at our numbers, our data, our availability for the vaccine, so it's not a guarantee that we will open it up for tomorrow for Group 2 workers," he said at the health unit's daily briefing on Monday.

The health unit uses its own booking site for vaccine appointments, which can be accessed at WEvax.ca.

Pharmacy rollout for hot spot residents only

The region is participating in a new pilot project where 14 pharmacies located within seven hot spot postal codes — N8X, N8Y, N9A, N9B, N9C, N8H, N9Y — have been provided with a supply of vaccine.

The provincial government's website indicates that all residents 18 and over are eligible to get vaccinated, regardless of whether they live in one of the areas. 

However, health unit CEO Theresa Marentette said that locally, the pharmacies are receiving a very limited supply, about 100 doses per week, and will only be able to offer the vaccines to those within the postal codes.

"We are asking that it's for people that live in those hot spots," she said. 

Health officials also reported 38 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, as well as the death of a man in his 80s. Since the pandemic began, 417 people have died from COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex.

There are 367 COVID-19 cases active, and 173 of the active cases involve variants of concern. Twenty-two residents are hospitalized with COVID-19.

As of Monday's update, 176,666 residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, which represents 52.4 per cent of all adults.

The health unit also provided an update on its efforts to vaccinate temporary foreign workers. Since April, 4,768 workers at 132 farms have received first doses, said Marentette said.

Of the new cases announced Monday, 15 are close contacts of previously confirmed cases, nine were community acquired, one is outbreak related and 13 are under investigation.

Nine outbreaks are ongoing, including one at Southwest Detention Centre that has been active since April 23.

There are eight workplace outbreaks: 

• One in Leamington's agriculture sector. 
• One in Kingsville's agriculture sector.
• One in Tecumseh's construction sector.
• Two in Windsor's health-care and social assistance sector. 
• One in Windsor's manufacturing sector
• Two in retail settings in Windsor.

COVID-19 in Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent

Chatham-Kent Public Health reported nine new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and 33 cases are active.

In Sarnia-Lambton, the public health unit is reporting four new cases, for a total of 82 cases active.