Halton Region begins to wind down COVID-19 clinics

Halton Region has achieved tremendous success with vaccinating residents at its community clinics, and Halton’s vaccination rate for residents 12 years and older continues to exceed the Provincial average. With more Halton residents now fully vaccinated, Halton Region will begin consolidating its community clinics in August to focus on targeted community outreach and school-based immunization programs.

Effective August 16, the COVID-19 vaccination clinics at Joseph Brant Hospital (JBH) and Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) will be closed. This decision was made in collaboration with Joseph Brant Hospital and Halton Healthcare.

“We have reached a significant milestone in our COVID-19 vaccine rollout, with 81 per cent of residents having received one dose and 65 per cent of residents fully vaccinated,” said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. “Thanks to the commitment of Halton residents to get vaccinated and the tremendous work of our clinic staff. Over 250,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered at our hospital clinics, and I am extremely grateful for our hospital partners for their dedication and contributions to the vaccine rollout over the past several months to get us to this pivotal point.”

Residents who had vaccine appointments scheduled at Joseph Brant Hospital and Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital on or after August 16 are being notified that their appointments will be cancelled, with options to reschedule at another Halton clinic, pharmacy or primary care provider.

Halton Region is working on a plan to also begin consolidating community vaccination clinics by the end of the summer. Coupled with expanded access to COVID-19 vaccines through pharmacy and primary care offices, Halton Region Public Health will continue to deliver and expand its targeted community outreach to support anyone who may experience barriers to vaccination and ensure no one is left behind. In addition, several clinic locations will transition to immunization clinics that will offer non-COVID vaccines to students in Grade 7, 8 and 9 as part of the school immunization program. This will provide Halton with an opportunity to catch-up eligible students who were not able to get vaccinated with these important vaccines due to the pandemic.

“I am grateful for our hospital partners who have been instrumental in the Halton vaccine rollout and provided high quality care to our community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton Region Medical Officer of Health. “While this is an important step to return to normal, it’s critical that more residents get fully vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and our community. Each and every dose counts, and getting your second dose will give you better protection against COVID-19 and the Delta variant. #RollUpYourSleevesHalton and let’s make it a two dose summer so we can avoid a fourth wave in the Fall.”

“It was a privilege to be the first Vaccination Centre in Halton Region and to be part of the largest immunization rollout in a generation,” said Denise Hardenne, President & CEO, Halton Healthcare. “By August 15 we expect to have administered 200,000 vaccines at the OTMH Vaccination Centre. With community clinics now well established and the demand for vaccines decreasing, the closing of hospital vaccination centres will provide us with the opportunity to focus on our recovery plan. I couldn’t be more proud of the efforts of our staff and physicians for their dedication and tremendous efforts in the fight against COVID-19.”

“Since opening in March, over 58,000 vaccinations were administered at the Joseph Brant Hospital vaccination clinic,” said Eric Vandewall, President and CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital. “I would like to thank our hard-working staff, physicians and volunteers who helped make this clinic a success, and for their ongoing commitment to meet the needs of our community during the pandemic. I also would like to thank the residents of Halton Region for their overwhelming support of our clinic, our people and our hospital – we are so grateful and honoured by your kind and encouraging words, emails, social media posts, lawn signs and letters.”

Important information & instructions

• Effective August 16, vaccination clinics at Joseph Brant Hospital and Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital will be closed. Residents 12 years of age and older can reschedule their appointments at any of Halton’s seven Community Vaccination Clinics through the online booking system.
• Bookings for Halton residents are not available through the Provincial booking system; residents who access the Provincial booking system will be redirected back to Halton’s system.
• Walk-in appointments are currently available at some Halton Region Vaccination Clinics on a first come, first served basis and dependent on supply. Learn more about current walk-in locations and times.
• To maintain physical distancing and safety measures, please arrive 10 minutes prior to your appointment (not earlier) and remember to wear a mask. Please note: you will be required to bring proof of age to your appointment, and are asked to complete a wellness check before attending a clinic, using Halton’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Screening Tool.
• Residents are asked to attend their appointments alone if possible in order to limit the amount of individuals in our clinics and maintain adequate physical distancing. You may bring one support person, if required (for example, a caregiver or interpreter).
• There are also more than 100 pharmacies in Halton are offering walk-in or booked appointments and select primary care offices offering booked appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine. Please contact the pharmacy or primary care office directly to learn more.
• The quickest and easiest way to schedule or reschedule an appointment is online. Residents who require booking support can also call 311.
• Residents should cancel their appointments as soon as possible if they find earlier appointments through a pharmacy. By cancelling your appointment, this ensures that someone else who is eligible can get the vaccine.
• Residents have the option to book same-day (“last minute”) vaccine appointments through our online booking system. These appointments will become available when there are last minute cancellations at a vaccination clinic. This option is only available to those who are currently eligible and residents must arrive at the selected clinic within 45 minutes of booking.
• Residents who need assistance with transportation (if transportation is a barrier to getting to the appointment) can contact 311. Halton Region continues to offer transportation services to and from appointments for residents who require support, free of charge.

To learn more about Halton Region’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program, including how to book an appointment, please visit halton.ca/COVIDvaccines.