Algoma Public Health (APH) announced today that a COVID-19 Community Vaccine Hub will be held at the GFL Memorial Gardens on April 3 and April 6.
Appointment booking for these vaccination dates opens at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Individuals eligible for these vaccination clinics include health care workers, faith leaders, adults aged 75 and older, adult chronic home care recipients, Indigenous adults, and long-term care home staff members and essential caregivers.
Appointment availability depends on vaccine supply, APH said in a news release issued today.
"If you do not get an appointment for these upcoming clinics, don’t panic," the release states. "More appointments will be made available for bookings in the near future."
Full text of the APH news release follows:
Algoma Public Health (APH) and Algoma Ontario Health Team (AOHT) are pleased to announce that booking will soon open for the COVID-19 Community Vaccine Hub being held at the GFL Memorial Gardens on April 3 and April 6, 2021.
Starting Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 9 a.m., the following groups are welcome to book an appointment for their COVID-19 vaccination:
Health care workers (highest, very high, high, and moderate categories as per Guidance for Prioritizing Health Care Workers)
- Faith leaders who provide:
- End of life care
- Care of the deceased, funerals, bathing, or other ceremony with direct contact with deceased persons
- Home visits to unwell persons
- Pastoral care in hospitals/long-term care homes/retirement homes or other vulnerable settings
- Staff and essential caregivers in long term care, retirement homes and other congregate care settings for seniors (e.g. assisted living)
- Indigenous adults (18+ and household members)
- Older adults (75 and older)
- Adult chronic home care recipients
Blocks of appointments are based on vaccine supply. If you do not get an appointment for these upcoming clinics, don’t panic. More appointments will be made available for bookings in the near future.
- To book an appointment online, please visit this link and click on ‘make appointment online’ under Sault Ste. Marie – GLF Memorial Gardens tab. The link will go live at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2021.
- To book an appointment by phone, call 705-541-2332. Phone lines will open Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 9 a.m.
- Throughout Algoma, you can search for a clinic near you and follow the instructions for available clinics by municipality. As more clinics are added throughout Algoma, the above priority populations will have the opportunity to be vaccinated.
Today, the Ontario Government announced that the provincial booking system would open to individuals aged 70 and over in Toronto only. Immunization clinics across Algoma continue to use local booking systems that meet unique community needs. Please continue to use the local booking system of your Algoma clinic.
At this time, although booking is not yet available for people aged 70-74, we expect that this group will be able to receive immunization in early to mid-April, depending on vaccine supply. Information on how to book appointments for this group will be issued in the near future.
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.
- Wait until five minutes before your scheduled appointment time to enter the building to maintain physical distancing and prevent any delays.
Indigenous adults aged 18 and older and their immediate household members who must be 18+, regardless of Indigenous identity can access the COVID-19 Community Vaccine Hub at GFL Memorial Gardens or at clinics being held by the Sault Ste. Marie Indian Friendship Centre and Maamwesying North Shore Community Health Services. Please choose an option to get immunized that best fits with your schedule.
- To book at the GFL clinic, please call 705-541-2332 or online. OR
- To be put on the waiting list to be called for a future appointment at the Indian Friendship Centre, please call 705-256-5634.
Until the vaccine is widely available, 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.