APH announces 2,700 new COVID-19 vaccination appointments

Algoma Public Health (APH) has announced two additional COVID-19 vaccination clinics scheduled to take place at the GFL Memorial Gardens on May 28 and 29.

A news release issued today by APH states that appointment booking for these dates opens at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 10. Appointments may be booked online or by phone.

The health unit has produced a video to assist those who may be experiencing issues booking vaccination appointments online, which can be viewed here.

The APH website also indicates that appointments for the clinics held on Friday, May 21 and Saturday, May 22 may also be booked starting at 10 a.m. on Monday. There are "limited spots available for priority populations" on these two dates, the website says.

New groups have been added to the eligible vaccination priority list, including individuals with high-risk health conditions such as obesity, those receiving immunity-weakening treatments such as chemotherapy, and some essential workers who are unable to work from home.

Full text of today's APH release follows:

Algoma Public Health (APH) and Algoma Ontario Health Team (AOHT) are pleased to announce that booking will soon open for 2,700 new appointments at the COVID-19 Community Vaccine Hub being held at the GFL Memorial Gardens for the following dates:

• Friday, May 28
• Saturday, May 29

Demand for vaccine continues to exceed the supply we have been allocated for the Algoma region. As vaccine continues to arrive, more clinics will be made available in the near future.

The following new groups, as well as previous eligible groups, including all adults aged 60+, are welcome to book an appointment starting Monday, May 10, 2021.

High-risk health conditions:

• Obesity (BMI > 40)
• Other treatments causing immunosuppression (e.g., chemotherapy, immunity weakening medications)
• Intellectual or developmental disabilities (e.g., Down Syndrome)

First group of essential workers who cannot work from home:

• Elementary/secondary school workers (including educators, custodial, school bus drivers, administrative staff)
• Workers responding to critical events (including police, fire, special constables, children’s aid society workers, emergency management, critical infrastructure restoration workers)
• Enforcement, inspection and compliance roles (including by-law enforcement, building inspectors, food inspectors, animal welfare inspectors, border inspection officers, labour inspectors / WSIB field workers)
• Individuals working in childcare as follows:
  • All licensees, employees and students on an educational placement who interact directly with children in licensed childcare centres and in authorized recreation and skill building programs
  • Licensed home child care and in-home service providers, employees of a home child care agency and students on an educational placement
  • Foster care agency workers, including foster parents and customary care providers
• Food manufacturing and distribution workers
• Agriculture and farm workers
• Funeral, crematorium and cemetery workers

HOW TO BOOK
Option 1 (online), recommended:

• Visit this link and click on ‘make an appointment online’ under Sault Ste. Marie – GFL Memorial Gardens tab. Appointments will be updated at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 10, 2021

Option 2 (book by phone): Call 705-541-2332

• Phone lines will be open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Throughout Algoma, you can search for a clinic near you and follow the instructions for available clinics by municipality.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If you are eligible for COVID-19 immunization, and have one of the conditions below, please speak with your treating health care provider before attending your immunization appointment:

• Pregnancy
• Breastfeeding
• Have an autoimmune condition or are immunocompromised due to disease or treatment

People with booked appointments may bring one support person with them to the clinic. Only people with booked appointments will be immunized.

Until the majority of community members are fully immunized, we still need to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 in our region:

• Stay home as much as possible, and avoid gatherings, visiting or having close contact with people you don’t live with
• Anyone who is ill, even with mild symptoms, must stay home and self-isolate away from others
• Avoid all non-essential travel
• Wear a mask as required in indoor public spaces and outside when physical distancing cannot be maintained