Vaccine clinics for 75+ should begin next week

Booking of appointments not yet available for this age group

Article content

Public Health Sudbury and Districts will soon announce when those who are 75 and over can begin booking appointments locally for COVID-19 vaccines.

“On Friday, the Ontario government announced that its online booking system would open on March 22 for individuals aged 75 and over,” the health unit said in a release. “This did not signal the start of eligibility for this age group across the province.”

The health unit anticipates clinics for this age group to begin next week. Information about how to book appointments will be issued in the coming days.

PHSD has not yet transitioned to the provincial online COVID-19 vaccine booking system and will announce once this transition occurs. Currently, pharmacies and primary care practices across public health’s service area are not offering the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Details about vaccination opportunities in local pharmacies are expected to be shared as we move into Phase 2 of the vaccine rollout plan,” the agency said.

Article content

Who is currently eligible in the public health service area

Currently across Greater Sudbury and the districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin, public health is continuing to offer COVID-19 vaccine to the province’s Phase One groups below.

• Staff, residents, or essential caregivers of long-term care homes;

• Staff of retirement homes or congregate care settings for seniors;

• Residents of retirement homes or congregate care settings for seniors;

• Residents or staff of Elder care homes;

• Health-care workers;

• Indigenous adults;

• Adults 80 years of age and older in 2021 (individuals born in 1941 or earlier); and

• Recipients of chronic home care.

For vaccine clinic dates, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.

What you can do now

• Adults born in 1941 or earlier, or adults who receive chronic home care services, who have not yet been vaccinated, can now call and book COVID-19 vaccination appointments without pre-registering. To book an appointment, call 705-674-2299 (toll-free: 1-800-708-2505). The call centre is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

• All health-care workers are encouraged to pre-register for their vaccination appointment with public health if they have not already booked an appointment by visiting tinyurl.com/dfrhn58.

• Health-care workers classified as highest priority, very high priority, and high priority are eligible for appointments this week. Moderate priority health-care workers will be eligible next week but should pre-register this week.

Article content

The vaccination efforts are aligned with the province’s phased vaccination approach (covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-ontario) as well as the Ministry of Health’s guidance on health-care worker prioritization.

The health unit’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program Playbook (tinyurl.com/43ctetv5) provides details about the local vaccination plans. For a visual summary of the three phases of public health’s vaccination program, view the At-a-Glance plan (tinyurl.com/6nhtc9z2).

For more information or if you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury and Districts at 705-522-9200 (toll-free 1-866-522-9200).

sud.editorial@sunmedia.ca