SWPH’s Local COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics Set to Open Mid March
Residents of Elgin County, Oxford County, and the City of St. Thomas will soon have access to local COVID-19 vaccine clinics. Set to open the week of March 15, Southwestern Public Health will offer one main vaccination site in each county – St. Thomas-Elgin Memorial Arena in St. Thomas, and the Community Complex - Goff Hall in Woodstock. Eligible individuals can choose from either site to receive their vaccine.
Once these two main sites are up-and-running and as more vaccine arrives, the health unit will begin work to open additional smaller, mobile clinics to reach people who may have trouble accessing the larger centres.
“We are excited to bring COVID-19 vaccine clinics to our region in partnership with our municipal leaders across St. Thomas, Elgin County and Oxford County,” says Jaime Fletcher, Program Manager of the health unit’s COVID-19 Immunization Task Force. “The size of these two initial mass vaccination sites will ensure we can expand operations quickly as COVID-19 vaccine supplies increase in Ontario.”
Appointments are required - those who do not have one will be turned away from the clinics. Everyone is also asked to bring a completed consent form to their appointment to avoid delays. A phone number and online portal for booking appointments in St. Thomas and Woodstock will be announced the week of March 8.
“Until we have a steady supply of vaccine from the Province, we need to rollout our supply very strategically so that our most vulnerable are served first,” says Fletcher. “Please do not call our appointment line if you are not yet eligible. We must keep our lines open and accessible for those who are eligible so they can quickly receive a vaccine when it is their turn.”
Primary care providers, public health, and clinic sites do not keep a waitlist or registration list for appointments.
Visit swpublichealth.ca/COVID19vaccine for information about the vaccines as well as the current eligibility and local rollout strategy. The health unit’s 80-page Vaccine Playbook, the plan presented to the province, can also be found on the webpage for those who are interested in the details.