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Light at the end of the tunnel grows as New Tec vaccination sites open

March 4, 2021   ·   0 Comments

The light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel got significantly brighter this week with the opening of vaccination clinics in Tottenham and Alliston.

Clinics at Alliston Memorial Arena and the Tottenham Community Centre were among the 13 centres in the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) that opened for pre-booked vaccination appointments beginning March 1.

As part of the vaccination rollout to the general public, those eligible to receive the vaccine include adults 85 years of age and older, Indigenous adults 55+, as well as adult household members, adult recipients of chronic home care, and “very high priority frontline healthcare workers” in keeping with Provincial guidelines.

Due to supply, vaccines are limited to those who fit this criteria and shots are not available for walk-ins.

“It is critical to the health of our residents that we move forward with our clinics providing immunization first to those who need it the most based on their risk of severe disease or on their likelihood of exposure to it as health care workers,” said Dr. Charles Gardner, Medical Officer of Health for the SMDHU. “The opening of our clinics is just the beginning. Over the months to come, we will work through priority populations to provide vaccination to all adults who want it.

“I thank and commend all of our partners as we begin with these new community immunization clinics. The opening of our clinics to those who are currently eligible to get their vaccination is a critically important and exciting undertaking and could not have taken place without their dedication and hard work.”

Partners in keeping the shots rolling include local Family Health Teams, Ontario Health Teams, community hospitals like Stevenson Memorial, paramedic services, Indigenous partners, and Central Region Ontario Health.

Those eligible can book their appointments online through the SMDHU at smdhu.org or have a family member or friend book them on their behalf. Those without access to the internet can call ahead to 1-877-721-7520. Proof of eligibility will be required and those who aren’t eligible will be turned away.

By Monday, March 1, New Tecumseth had seen a total of 805 confirmed cases of COVID-19. There have been 741 recoveries and 15 deaths attributed to the virus. Between February 22 and March 1, the SMDHU reported 18 new cases of COVID-19, 17 of which were attributed to close contact or local transmission. One case, at press time, remained under investigation.

By Brock Weir


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