Lambton COVID-19 Immunization Task Force Update – March 9

Point Edward, ON – The Lambton COVID-19 Immunization Task Force met Tuesday, March 9 to discuss updates to the COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan in Lambton County. Here are some highlights from the meeting:

A total of 9,414 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in Lambton County since the beginning of the vaccine rollout on January 26 (8,600 first doses, 814 second doses).

The Mobile Immunization Team is on track to complete second doses of the Moderna vaccine to all residents of long-term care, high-risk retirement home and Indigenous Elder Care lodges by March 12. Second doses of the Pfizer vaccine for all non-high-risk retirement homes residents will be completed by March 23. The Team also continues to work in partnership with all three local Indigenous communities (Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation and Walpole Island First Nation) to hold onsite clinics.

This week, Lambton’s fixed site clinics in Point Edward, Wyoming and Forest are busy administering first doses to staff and essential caregivers of long-term care and retirement homes along with first responders who provide medical care. Individuals 90+ years of age and older (along with one of their in-home caregivers) have also been vaccinated this week and will continue into next week until all are complete.

Lambton Public Health (LPH) and Bluewater Health piloted a new fixed site clinic model on March 8 which, if successful, would allow for significant expansion on the current prototype including the ability to immunize much higher volumes of people. The partners are currently working to plan, design and implement this new model at the Point Edward clinic on March 22 and, if effective, may use it to scale up other clinics in Lambton County.

The Task Force is preparing for the launch of a new Provincial online booking system which is expected to be open to the public on March 15. For updates and further information visit - https://covid-19.ontario.ca/getting-covid-19-vaccine-ontario. Adults 80+ years of age and older will be able to book vaccination appointments once the new system goes live.

Prior to the launch of the new Provincial online booking system, LPH is continuing pre-registration for the following priority groups: High Priority Healthcare Workers, recipients of Chronic Home Healthcare, urban Indigenous populations, and medical first responders.

Dr. Sudit Ranade, Lambton County’s Medical Officer of Health, is joining Blackburn Radio’s Sue Storr for a Community Call-in Radio Show on Tuesday, March 16 at 8:30am. The hour long program will provide the public with an opportunity to call into the show and ask their COVID-19 related questions live. Further information on this event can be found on LPH’s website at https://lambtonpublichealth.ca/event/radio-community-call-in-show/.

Please visit GetTheVaccine.ca for the latest updates on the vaccine roll-out plan in Lambton County. For specific questions about the vaccine or other local inquiries, Lambton Public Health’s call centre is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30pm at 519-383-8331.

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Please contact:
LPH Media Inquiries

The Lambton COVID-19 Immunization Task Force is a group dedicated to the safe, comprehensive, effective, efficient and equitable rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in Lambton County. Led by Lambton Public Health, the group consists of key stakeholders critical to the success of the plan including: Bluewater Health, Emergency Medical Services, Primary Care, Community Emergency Management Coordinators from the City of Sarnia, Village of Point Edward and County of Lambton, Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, and Walpole Island First Nation.  The Task Force works to make vaccinations available to eligible populations in alignment with the Province of Ontario's COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan.