By Cecilia Nasmith

At last week's media scrum, Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Natalie Bocking said walk-in vaccination clinics for COVID-19 were being considered for those who have not yet had a first dose.

This week, the health unit announces first-dose walk-in clinics at their mass-immunization sites in Fenelon Falls and Cobourg for HKPR residents aged 12 and over who have not yet received a shot.

In Cobourg, these walk-in clinics will be at the Cobourg Community Centre (750 D'Arcy St.) from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays – specifically July 8, 9, 15, 16, 22 and 23. If there is a strong interest in this initiative, the health unit will expand it to other sites later in the month.

Though almost 77% of HKPR residents have had at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Bocking said last week that first-dose appointments are starting to level off and mentioned the possibility of walk-in clinics.

“We realize not everyone may have been able to book appointments through the provincial booking system or been able to access COVID-19 vaccines through other channels,” she said in this week's announcement.

“By providing this opportunity, we want to remove any barriers and make it as easy as possible for anyone who has not yet received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to get one.”

Dr. Bocking commended the commitment of so many residents to getting both doses.

“By making the process to get the first dose of vaccine even easier, we hope to increase local vaccination rates even further so that as many people as possible are fully protected against COVID-19 and its variants,” she said.

For more information on COVID-19 and local vaccination clinics, visit www.hkpr.on.ca.