With an increase in the amount of vaccine being received locally, area residents now have more options to get their COVID-19 vaccination.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR) has been notified that it will receive more vaccine in the coming weeks and as a result, the Health Unit has increased the number of clinics it will be offering throughout May.
“We have been hearing from the province for some time that we would be seeing a dramatic increase in the amount of vaccine being sent to us and it appears that time is approaching,” says Dr. Natalie Bocking, Medical Officer of Health for the HKPR District Health Unit. “We have asked people to be patient and wait their turn for their chance to get vaccinated. With the province expanding the groups of people eligible to book appointments and the increased deliveries of vaccine the time is now here for more residents to book their appointments to get vaccinated.”
Until the end of May, the Health Unit will be hosting 24 different mass immunization clinics in Haliburton County, Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes and increasing the number of appointments available at many of those clinics. This is in addition to the clinics being hosted by the Ross Memorial Hospital at the Lindsay Exhibition.
As of Tuesday, individuals considered “At Risk” and as part of Group Two of essential workers who cannot work from home are eligible to book appointments. As of Thursday, individuals who were born in 1981 or earlier can book appointments through the provincial booking system.
Health Unit clinic dates and locations are listed on the agency’s website: www.hkpr.on.ca. The site also includes a list of eligible individuals and how they can book appointments.
Mass immunization clinics are just one way that local residents can be vaccinated. The province is continuing to flow vaccine through to pharmacies with a plan to have more than 2,300 pharmacies in the province offering COVID vaccination by the end of May. As well, some local health teams and health care providers are offering vaccination clinics for their patients. The Health Unit is also working with its health care partners and local EMS services to ensure those residents who are housebound are receiving their vaccination.
“We know that getting vaccinated is our best shot at helping us stay healthy and bring an end to this pandemic,” Dr. Bocking says. “We all want to return to a time when we can get back together with our family and friends, and having as many people vaccinated as possible is the best way we can start to see things return to normal again.”
As well as the addition of more Health Unit clinics, there are also two changes in location:
Campbellford – the immunization clinic has moved to the Campbellford and District Curling and Racquet Club on Front Street in Campbellford with the first clinic at the new location scheduled for May 13. Anyone who received their first dose at the Trent Hills Emergency Base will need to go to the new location for their second dose appointment.
Haliburton – the clinic location at the A.J. Larue Community Centre will close later in May. The number of people seeing appointments at this location has typically been low. With the addition of primary care providers and local pharmacies now offering vaccinations to residents, the Health Unit will continue with just the one mass immunization clinic at the Minden location.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
