York Region opening 13,500 new COVID-19 vaccine appointments

Newmarkettoday.ca
April 16, 2021

Effective Friday, April 16 at 8:30 a.m., appointments can be booked by eligible residents at clinics across the region, although the Georgina clinic remains closed

As of Friday, about 13,500 new appointments will be available to York Region residents currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, thanks to the arrival of a shipment of Moderna vaccine this morning.

The appointments will be available at vaccination centres across region, except at the clinic at the Georgina Ice Palace, which has been temporarily closed due to the delayed delivery of Moderna vaccine supplies, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.

This morning's shipment of Moderna was initially scheduled to arrive about two weeks ago, Casey said.

"This closure and adjustments to other clinic hours will remain in place until the region receives additional vaccines," he added.

Effective Friday, April 16 at 8:30 a.m., vaccination appointments can be booked by visiting york.ca/COVID19Vaccine.

The additional vaccine appointments released this morning include:

• Trisan Centre and Soccer City physician-led vaccine clinics that are administering the AstraZeneca vaccine
• All other York Region vaccination clinics, which are administering Pfizer and Moderna vaccines
• The drive-thru vaccine clinic at Canada’s Wonderland is expected to reopen Sunday, April 18/

Vaccine appointments are available to priority groups identified in phases 1 and 2 in the Government of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan:

• York Region residents age 65+ (born in 1956 or earlier) in all clinics
• York Region residents age 60+ (born in 1961 or earlier) at the Cornell (Markham) and Soccer City (Stouffville) clinics
• Updated: York Region residents age 45-59 (previously 45-54) who live in five identified high priority communities in York Region (Vaughan postal code L4L, L6A, L4K, L4J; Markham postal code L3S)
• Individuals (and one of their caregivers) with highest and high risk health conditions
• Special education staff who work in York Region
• Highest, very high and high priority health-care workers as identified in the Ministry of Health’s guidance on Health Care Work Prioritization who work or live in York Region
• Staff, essential caregivers and any residents that have not yet received a first dose in long-term care homes, retirement homes and First Nations elder care homes
• Alternative level of care patients in hospitals who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care home for seniors
• Staff, residents and caregivers in retirement homes and other congregate care settings for seniors
• Indigenous adults and members of their households
• Adults with a chronic condition receiving home care services and who live in York Region (appropriate documentation will be required)
• Eligible adult recipients of chronic home care.

Appointments are required. Walk-in appointments are not available.

Residents age 55+ are also able to book vaccine appointments at select York Region pharmacies.

In accordance with the Ministry of Health’s recent recommendations, transplant patients and some cancer patients are encouraged to get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as close to the 21 to 28-day timeframe as possible. Information, including eligibility and clinic details, are available on york.ca/COVID19Vaccine.