What is the current vaccination status in HPEC?
- HPEPH has administered 117,205 doses of vaccine – 101,930 residents have received their first dose and 15,275 individuals are now fully immunized (please note number of vaccines includes residents who may have received a vaccine from an out of area pharmacy).
- 60% of residents in HPEC have received at least one dose.
What vaccination activities are taking place in HPEC?
- Community vaccination clinics continue to be held throughout the region.
- All individuals age 12 and over are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and appointments can be booked at Ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by calling 1-833-943-3900. If there are no appointments available please check back regularly and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for booking updates, and sign up on our Standby List. Please note the Standby list has now been expanded to accept those who are eligible and awaiting an accelerated second dose appointment.
- Certain groups are now eligible to book their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval. See below for details.
- Local pharmacies are now offering first doses of Pfizer vaccines to those 12 and over and Moderna vaccines to those 18 and over. Some pharmacies may be offering AstraZeneca second doses for those who received AstraZeneca on March 10 or later, at a 12-week interval and some are offering second doses of Pfizer and Moderna as well. Please visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations for a list of participating pharmacies.
- The Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte are currently offering first and second doses to all Indigenous people aged 12 and older who live within the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory or Hastings and Prince Edward counties. To book please visit http://mbq-tmt.org/health/covid-19-vaccines/ or call 613-967-3603.
- On June 1, 2021, NACI released their recommendations for COVID-19 vaccine interchangeability, or “mixed vaccine schedules”:
- Persons who received a first dose of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine may receive either AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine or an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) for their second dose, unless contraindicated.
- Persons who received a first dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) should be offered the same mRNA vaccine for their second dose. If the same mRNA vaccine is not readily available or unknown, another mRNA vaccine can be considered interchangeable and should be offered to complete the vaccine series”
Who is currently eligible for first-dose vaccination?
- Individuals 12 and older
Who is currently eligible for an accelerated second dose?
- Most people will receive an appointment for their second dose approximately 16 weeks after the first, however Ontario has released a new accelerated second dose schedule based on age and the date of your first vaccine. Please visit this website for details.
- The following groups qualify for shortened second dose intervals:
- Individuals 70 years of age and older
- Anyone who had their first dose on of before April 18
- First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people (including non-Indigenous partners and household members)
- Residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, elder care lodges, or assisted living facilities
- Transplant recipients
- Dialysis patients
- Cancer patients on active treatment
- Those taking anti-CD20 agent medication (for example, rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab)
- Eligible groups can book accelerated second dose appointments through the provincial booking site at Ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by calling 1-833-943-3900. Please remember that eligibility to book does not guarantee an earlier appointment will be available. Spaces remain limited and HPEPH is only able to administer the amount of vaccine we receive each week.
