The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Heath Unit is pleased to be working with many community partners as it rolls out the LGL COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. With vaccine supply stabilizing in the coming weeks, we will be working hard to increase our access points to the vaccine.

With the completion of first doses for residents in Long Term Care Homes and High Risk Retirement Homes, the plan is to move on to the following priority groups over the next few weeks, depending on availability of the vaccine, and further provincial direction.

• Residents (second doses), staff, and essential caregivers of long-term care, high-risk retirement homes, and any residents of these settings that have not yet received a first dose of vaccine.
• Alternative level of care patients in hospitals who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care home for seniors.
• Highest priority health care workers followed by very high priority health care workers in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidance on health care worker prioritization
• Indigenous adults in northern remote and higher risk communities (including on-reserve and urban communities.)
• Residents, staff, and caregivers in retirement homes and other congregate care settings for seniors.
• Adults 80 years of age and older.
• Health care workers in the high priority level, in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidance on health care workers prioritization.
• Adults in First Nations, Metis, and Inuit populations.
• Adult chronic home care recipients.

The Health Unit website will list which of the following groups can access the vaccine, where, and when.  This information will also be shared on local radio stations and newspapers and with local organizations and healthcare providers.

Four fixed vaccination clinics in Almonte, Smiths Falls, Brockville and Kemptville will be activated next week.  Instructions on how to book appointments and what to expect will be communicated through the place of work or another group representative for the priority groups listed above. When the fixed clinics are able to open to a wider population (including adults 80 years of age and older), booking instructions will be made known on the website, through social media, local radio and newspaper, local organizations, and health care providers.

Operations at all of these clinics will be a combined effort from Public Health and many health care providers around our communities. Without this support, these clinics would not be possible.

Going forward, mobile teams will continue to support congregate living facilities and groups where it is difficult for the population to come to the fixed vaccine clinics. They will also provide vaccine in Pop-Up clinics in local communities when there is significant vaccine for the general public.

To help ensure the roll out plan continues to meet the needs of our community, the Health Unit has established an Advisory Table. This group is made up of community Health Care Providers, social services partners and our hospitals.

For more information about the vaccine, our vaccine clinics and the status of our roll out plan, please go to https://healthunit.org/covid-19-vaccine/. You can also call the Health Unit at 1-800-660-5853 or connect with LGLHealthunit on Facebook and Twitter for important public health updates.

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