By Cecilia Nasmith

At this week's Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Media Scrum, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Gemmill pointed out that early vaccination clinics were not yet being booked through the provincial system that rolled out Monday.

The health unit has given an update on what is termed the uploading of these clinics into the provincial system so that appointments can be booked in the conventional way.

Early roll-outs targeted at residents born in 1941 or earlier relied on telephone alerts by a corps of volunteers. Now they advise anyone who was previously unable to book an appointment at a local clinic is encouraged to revisit the system in the coming weeks for additional locations and dates.

“We understand that it has been frustrating, but we need to ensure that there is a dose of vaccine available for every appointment and I would ask people to be patient and go back into the system in the coming weeks to check for additional clinics,” Dr. Gemmill said in the announcement.

Everyone who wants the vaccine will receive it, he stressed, and he asks for everyone’s understanding as the vaccine program unfolds. As more vaccine becomes available, more clinic appointments can open, and more people can be vaccinated. In the meantime, immunization of high-risk people in phase one, such as residents of retirement homes, is continuing.

At this time, all vaccination appointments for residents born in 1941 or earlier must be booked through the provincial booking system - online at www.ontario.ca/bookvaccine or by phone at 1-888-999-6488.

The press release included updates on the region's six mass-vaccination clinics.

Northumberland County:

Cobourg Community Centre – 750 D’Arcy St., Cobourg – Clinic dates and times will be added to the provincial booking system by March 26. Clinics will begin March 29.

Trent Hills Emergency Services Base, 50 Doxsee Ave., Campbellford – Clinic dates and times will be added to the provincial booking system in coming weeks.

City of Kawartha Lakes:

Lindsay Exhibition (LEX) – 354 Angeline St. S., Lindsay – Appointments can be booked through the provincial system, and clinics began this week.

Fenelon Falls Community Centre – 27 Veterans Way, Fenelon Falls – Clinic dates and times will be added to the provincial booking system in the coming weeks. Clinics will begin the week of April 5.

Haliburton County:

Haliburton Family Medical Centre (Second Floor) – 7217 Gelert Rd., Haliburton – Clinics will be added to the provincial booking system by March 18. Clinic appointments begin March 22.

S.G. Nesbitt Memorial Arena – 55 Parkside S., Minden – Clinic dates will be added to the provincial booking system in the coming weeks. Clinic appointments begin the week of April 5.

As more vaccine becomes available locally, the health unit will continue to vaccinate those residents born in 1941 or earlier as well as individuals identified in phase one of the provincial vaccine distribution plan (including: residents, staff and essential caregivers of retirement homes and seniors' congregate settings, health-care workers identified as the highest priorities; and Indigenous adults living on reserves and urban areas).

The vaccine will be available to all residents eventually over the next few months, and clinics will continue until everyone who wants the vaccine has received it.

To learn more about COVID-19, vaccination distribution and vaccination clinics, visit: www.hkpr.on.ca.