Starting Thursday, May 6, some essential workers can book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine locally and online booking will open to more groups

As more COVID-19 vaccine continues to roll out locally, Public Health Sudbury & Districts is pleased to announce increased eligibility for individuals wishing to receive the vaccine. Starting Thursday, May 6, essential workers in Group 1 of the province’s Phase 2 schedule (Government of Ontario) will be able to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. In addition, more individuals will now have the option to book an appointment online, including adults 50 years of age and older in 2021 (born in 1971 or earlier).

Essential workers who cannot work from home identified in Group 1 include:

• Remaining elementary and secondary school workers (including educators, custodial, school bus drivers, administrative staff)
• Workers responding to critical events (including police, fire, special constables, children’s aid society workers, emergency management, critical infrastructure restoration workers)
• Enforcement, inspection and compliance roles (including by-law enforcement, building inspectors, food inspectors, animal welfare inspectors, border inspection officers, labour inspectors, WSIB field workers)
• Remaining individuals working in licensed childcare settings (including all licensees, employees and students on educational placements who interact directly with children in licensed childcare centres and in authorized recreation and skill building programs, licensed home child care and in-home service providers, employees of home child care agencies)
• Foster care agenda workers (including customary care providers)
• Food manufacturing and distribution workers
• Agriculture and farm workers
• Funeral, crematorium and cemetery workers

How to book an appointment in a Public Health clinic

Book online

Starting Thursday, May 6, adults 50 years of age and older in 2021 and essential workers in Group 1 will be able to book an appointment online. In addition, previously eligible individuals, including those with highest-risk and high-risk health conditions as well as Indigenous adults (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis) will be able to use the provincial system to book an appointment online. Online booking is a simple and efficient process and helps reduce call volumes. Individuals can also help people who are eligible by booking an appointment on their behalf.

• Visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/

Book by phone

Starting Thursday, May 6, essential workers in Group 1 (Government of Ontario), and all previously eligible individuals can also call to book an appointment.

An individual can also help people who are eligible by calling to book an appointment on their behalf.

• Main line: call 705.674.2299 (toll-free: 1.800.708.2505), between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week.

To help with call volumes, an additional call centre has been set up.

• Alternate line: call 1.844.782.2273, between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

 Who can book an appointment in a Public Health clinic

All vaccination clinics are by appointment only and COVID-safe measures are in place. You must not attend a clinic if you have any symptoms of COVID-19 or if you are in isolation due to a COVID-19 exposure. Currently, across Greater Sudbury and the districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin, Public Health is continuing to offer COVID-19 vaccine to all previously eligible groups. Visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/vaccine-clinics for details on local vaccine eligibility, for booking information, and for upcoming vaccination clinic dates and locations.

Pharmacy and primary care vaccine locations

Select pharmacies across the province are booking appointments for AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for eligible people aged 40 or older in 2021 (born in 1981 or earlier). You must have an appointment with the pharmacy to get vaccinated at a participating pharmacy. For a current list of pharmacies, visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations. Adults born in 1972 or later are not yet eligible for mass immunization clinics in Sudbury and districts.

Select primary care offices are also booking appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine by reaching out directly to eligible individuals.

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.