Are you eligible for the next phase of Hamilton’s COVID vaccine rollout?

Hamilton’s top doctor presented the local COVID-19 vaccine plan to the City’s Board of Health on Friday (Feb. 19).

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said “the plan remains in an evergreen state,” ensuring it remains flexible and adaptive due to the vaccine supply and prescribed timelines by the Province.

To date, 26,082 vaccines have been administered with approximately 9,550 second doses complete, according to Dr. Richardson, Hamilton’s Medical Officer of Health.

She says the local change to the provincial vaccination goal is vaccinating at least 75 per cent of eligible residents using multiple modalities.

Locally, the modalities to reach people will include up to five large-scale clinics spread across the city, on-site clinics (including pop-up facility clinics), mobile bus clinics, rolling clinics, and drive-through clinics.

Plans also include the use of primary care offices and pharmacies as a way of further distributing the COVID-19 vaccine during later phases of the plan.

Dr. Richardson added that the vaccination plan includes engagement work with representatives of the city’s “vulnerable and marginalized” populations to ensure they’re prepared to receive the vaccine once they are eligible to do so.

The City of Hamilton currently has two vaccine clinics, a mobile vaccination clinic and a large-scale fixed-site clinic, as well as one additional large-scale clinic opening its doors in early March.

Currently, the following eligible populations are in the processes of receiving the first and second dose of vaccination locally:

• Residents in long-term care homes and high-risk retirement homes.
• Staff and essential caregivers in long-term care homes and high-risk retirement homes.
• Alternative level of care (ALC) patients in hospitals who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care home for seniors.
• Healthcare workers.

Within the next 2-3 weeks, the following populations will be eligible to receive the first dose of vaccination locally:

• Adults 80-years-of-age and older.
• Staff, residents and caregivers in retirement homes and other congregate care settings for seniors (e.g., assisted living).
• Health care workers in the High Priority level, and in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidance on Health Care Worker Prioritization.
• All Indigenous adults.
• Adult recipients of chronic home care.

Registration and booking for the next group of eligible recipients will open within the next “one to three weeks,” according to staff.

“Every resident of Hamilton should be able to access a vaccine and that is what our teams are working towards with our local COVID-19 vaccine plan,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “I encourage everyone in Hamilton to be ready for their turn to be vaccinated as with every vaccine dose administered, the light at the end of the tunnel gets a bit brighter.”

“The collaboration between Hamilton Public Health Services, Hamilton health partners and other community partners to implement this vaccine plan is a testament to our dedication in protecting the health and wellbeing of all Hamilton residents.”

Information regarding registration, booking, and sequencing will be available on the COVID-19 Vaccines section of the City’s website: www.hamilton.ca/COVIDvaccines.