News

Eligibility Updates

• The province has made substantial changes to the COVID-19 vaccine program. The at-risk health condition category has been removed from the rollout and moved to a strictly age-based model. Essential workplaces where employees cannot work from home are still included in to the new rollout.
• As of Monday May 3, all individuals who are 50 years of age or older (born in or before 1971) are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination.
• As of Monday May 3, all individuals in Essential Workers Group 1 are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination. The following employees are part of Group 1:
  • Employees working in school systems (including educators, custodial, bus, administration)
  • Workers responding to critical events (including police, fire, special constables, Children’s Aid, emergency management, and infrastructure restoration)
  • Enforcement, inspection, and compliance (including by-law, building inspectors, food inspectors, animal welfare inspectors, border inspectors, labour inspectors, WSIB field workers)
  • Foster care agency workers, including in-home foster care providers
  • Food manufacturing and distribution workers (includes truck drivers distributing food)
  • Agriculture and farm workers
  • Cemetery workers (includes funeral and crematorium)

Outstanding Priority Groups

• If individuals from Phase 1 or Phase 2 (over the age of 60, healthcare workers, residents and staff in congregate settings, and individuals with highest and high risk conditions) require assistance with booking an appointment, they should contact the vaccine line at [email protected] or 519-427-5903 for assistance.
• Homebound patients who have not identified themselves to the HNHU and who are serviced by organizations other than the LHIN should contact [email protected] or 519-427-5903 to be added to a list.
• Individuals with at-risk conditions should continue to add their names to the at-risk health conditions waitlist at hnhu.org/vaccinewaitlist. This waitlist is the only way for individuals with at-risk health conditions to receive a dose before their age category becomes eligible.

Booking

• The HNHU is transitioning to the provincial Vaccine Appointment Booking (VAB) tool. All appointments from May 19 onward can be booked at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/.
• The Health Unit will not immediately have enough vaccine available for all eligible patients to book an appointment immediately after they become eligible. Please be patient and continue to check the booking portal, as additional appointments will be frequently added.
• Residents 40 and above may visit covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations to locate a nearby pharmacy administering AstraZeneca vaccine and book an appointment.

Transportation

• Individuals who are unable to attend a COVID-19 vaccine appointment due to transportation can now book an appointment with transportation supports. Residents who are unable to coordinate transportation to a COVID-19 vaccine appointment due to financial, physical or other challenges will be able to take advantage of this program. To access this program, residents are asked to contact the COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 519-427-5903 or [email protected].