In a letter from the Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Kyle, he addresses the actions Durham will take during step three of the reopening plan.
I’m pleased to report that as of Aug. 9, we have administered over 907,700 doses of COVID-19 vaccines through community, hospital, pop-up and mobile clinics across Durham Region. In addition, we now know that 70 per cent of individuals 12 and older and almost 71 per cent of adults 18-plus are now fully vaccinated with two doses. This is a tremendous achievement and we should all be very proud with our efforts as we work toward getting all Durham Region residents vaccinated. More information on vaccination rates in Durham Region is available at www.durham.ca/vaccinetracker.
This is very good news as we head into the next phase of our vaccine delivery campaign which will see the continuation of pop-up and mobile clinics available in neighbourhoods and communities across the region, and the winding down of our mass immunization clinics with the first closure taking effect on Aug. 14; see www.durham.ca/covidvaccines for the mass immunization clinics closing schedule. Our mass immunization clinics have been operating daily since March. However, we are now seeing that local mass immunization clinics are no longer filling up, signaling the need to phase out large scale clinics. As the need for large mass immunization clinics comes to an end, there will still be many opportunities for residents to get vaccinated. While this winding down process begins, walk-in opportunities for either first or second doses will continue to be available at mass immunization clinics for anyone 12 and older until all clinics have closed. People can still book appointments at www.durham.ca/vaccineappointment or call 1-888-444-5113. Individuals who have an appointment booked at a mass immunization clinic after the date that the clinic closes will be contacted by phone or email about where they can receive their vaccination.
Health Department walk-in mobile and walk-in pop-up vaccine clinics are being planned on a smaller scale to be available in the community for those who have waited or been unable to access mass immunization clinics; details are now posted at www.durham.ca/covidvaccines. The list of clinics will continue to expand as more mobile and pop-up community clinics are confirmed. In addition, pharmacies and some primary care providers continue to offer vaccine in the community.
COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for anyone 12 years and older. All Durham Region residents are urged to get vaccinated to protect themselves and others against variants of concerns, including the Delta variant which is circulating in Durham Region. It is important for residents to get vaccinated at their earliest opportunity and everyone is encouraged to get their second dose as soon as they are eligible. Individuals who received Pfizer vaccine for their first dose would be eligible for their second dose 21 days after the first dose; those who received Moderna vaccine as their first dose would be eligible for their second dose 28 days following their first dose. We’ve come this far and have all worked very hard to protect our community throughout the pandemic. I encourage you to continue working together in taking this one last step to ensure that all Durham Region residents are able to get vaccinated.