Public Health Sudbury & Districts moves to Phase 2 of provincial COVID-19 vaccination plan, clinic and booking information announced
Issued: Thursday, March 25, 2021Public Health Sudbury & Districts is announcing the move to Phase 2 of the provincial COVID-19 vaccination plan with new COVID-19 vaccine clinic dates and appointment booking details. In addition to offering vaccine to remaining Phase 1 populations, beginning next week, Public Health will start rolling out Phase 2 by offering vaccine to adults under 80 years of age, individuals with certain health conditions, and people in high risk congregate living settings.
“We are very pleased to announce opportunities for even more people to receive the vaccine. If you were eligible under Phase 1, you continue to be eligible as clinics open up to more groups,” said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health with Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “We are working with partners throughout our service area to plan clinics in Chapleau, Espanola, Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin Island, and Sudbury East and are excited to be able to offer protection from COVID-19 to more people through immunization.”
Phase 2 eligible groups and appointment booking information:
Public Health Sudbury & Districts is managing its vaccine supply and system capacity. The following groups and booking information currently apply.
Note that Public Health is not yet transitioning to the provincial online booking system. Our current system provides for the flexibility we need to meet local circumstances. Our system is phone-based and although we have increased our phone line capacity, we appreciate callers’ ongoing patience with the expected high call volumes.
As we need to make sure phone lines are available for the people who are currently eligible, individuals must only call if booking has been announced for your group.
Age group:
Those who are 78 years of age or older in this calendar year can call as of Friday, March 26, to book their appointment.
Booking will be open for those 75 years of age or older in this calendar year as of Saturday, March 27, 2021. Do not call for this age group until Saturday, March 27.
Additional age groups are expected to be announced next week.
Clinic and booking details
- For specific clinic dates and locations, visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics.
- Over the next two weeks, immunization clinics are being held in Chapleau, Espanola, Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin Island, and Sudbury East; our website will be updated as more clinics are planned.
- To help with call volumes, an additional call centre has been set up.
- Main line: call 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505), between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m., seven days a week.
- Alternate line: call 1.844.782.2273, between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.
- You can also help people who are eligible by calling to book an appointment on their behalf.
Residents, essential caregivers, and staff of high-risk congregate living settings:
Public Health Sudbury & Districts is working directly with service providers to offer the vaccine to residents, essential caregivers, and staff of high-risk congregate living settings. Clinics are being offered next week and beyond for these individuals in both mass immunization clinic settings and mobile immunization teams.
Individuals with health conditions:
Individuals with certain health conditions are eligible for vaccination in Phase 2. Public Health Sudbury & Districts is working with health care system partners to identify and offer vaccine to these individuals and their caregivers. Those with highest risk health conditions will be contacted by their health care provider in the next few weeks to arrange vaccination. These individuals will be immunized in various settings throughout the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, including hospital and community settings. Essential caregivers who provide direct, frequent, and sustained personal care or assistance to an individual with highest-risk and high-risk conditions will also be eligible for vaccination. For information on highest-risk, high-risk, and at-risk health conditions, visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/ontarios-covid-19-vaccination-plan#phase-2.
Essential workers who cannot work from home
Essential workers who cannot work from home will be offered vaccine in June as noted in the provincial Phase 2 plan (Government of Ontario). Details on how to get an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine will be shared at a later date. Check phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics for updates.
Phase 1 eligible groups and appointment booking information:
These groups include health care workers, homebound individuals, recipients of chronic home care, Indigenous adults, and those in congregate living settings for seniors.
- Adults who are 80 or over in this calendar year (i.e. born in 1941 or earlier), or adults who receive chronic home care services, who have not yet been vaccinated can book vaccination appointments by calling the call centre any time for an available slot. For more details about clinics and opportunities, please visit www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/vaccines-immunizations/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/upcoming-vaccination-clinics-for-specific-priority-groups/.
- Homebound individuals are already registered and will be immunized in the coming days and weeks
- Health care workers can pre-register for appointments by visiting https://www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/vaccines-immunizations/coronavirus-covid-19-vaccine/upcoming-vaccination-clinics-for-specific-priority-groups/#preregister
- Indigenous adults in Greater Sudbury can visit https://skhc.ca/vaccination-clinic/ for booking details. Indigenous adults in district areas can contact the booking centre to book into clinics in their area. First Nation communities are also holding clinics within communities.
Vaccination program achievements:
To date, over 100 COVID-19 vaccine clinics have been held throughout our service area in Chapleau, Espanola, Greater Sudbury, Manitoulin Island, and Sudbury East. Thanks to the tireless efforts of many, the vaccine rollout is on-schedule with a total of 23 786 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered to date. As a proportion of the population, Public Health has immunized just over 12% of its population.
For more information or if you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200). Public Health returns all calls received; however, at times, inquiry volumes are high. Patience is appreciated.