York Region to begin booking vaccinations as early as Monday for residents 80+
Posted February 26, 2021 10:33 am.
Last Updated February 26, 2021 3:40 pm.
York Region isn’t waiting for the province to get its online vaccination portal up and running.
If you are over 80 years old and live in York Region, you can begin registering for the COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday, March 1st.
York Region is not waiting until March 15th.
If you are over 80 years old and live in York Region, you can begin registering for the COVID 19 vaccine AS OF MONDAY. I spoke to York Regions Medical Officer of Health and will have the latest on what you need to know on @680NEWS
— Momin Qureshi (@MominYQureshi) February 26, 2021
Town of Aurora Mayor, Tom Mrakas, took to Twitter to say residents in the GTA community can begin booking immunization appointments on that date.
Markham mayor Frank Scarpitti followed suit, saying this only applies to residents 80 years old and up.
An expanded list of health care workers are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in York Region, says the region’s health website.
This includes front-line workers in congregate and acute care settings.
The website reads,
“We are not able to book any appointments for this priority group before Monday, March 1. Pre-registration is not required. Please remain patient over the next couple of days as we finalize these booking details.”
York Region’s medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji confirmed with 680 NEWS that they’re ready to get going at 8:00 a.m. Monday, adding that it is strictly by appointment only and walk-ins will be turned away.
He says that people need their OHIP card and must be a York resident to get on the long waiting list. He also says that York Region does, indeed, have a vaccine supply that exceeds 15,000 doses ready to be administered.
“The idea would be that you should be able to get it [a shot] the same day, hopefully,” Kurji told 680 NEWS on Friday.
“We do expect that there will quite a demand, particularly on the initial day. We hope that you won’t have to wait [only] a few days in the meantime.”
Kurji says they don’t want their supply sitting in freezers and that this has all be given the go-ahead by Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine taskforce lead retired Gen. Rick Hillier.
“As more and more vaccines come, and they are coming – so please be calm and please proceed in an orderly way so that we can immunize the over-80 population who we consider to be at greater risk if they were to acquire COVID-19,” York’s top doctor said.
Kurji says it will take about six weeks at most to get through the entire group of residents over 80 years old.
York Region says it’s working with local health-care partners to provide COVID-19 vaccines for this newly eligible priority group at the following locations:
- Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital located in Vaughan, operated by Mackenzie Health
- Cornell Community Centre located in Markham, operated by Eastern York Region North Durham (EYRND) Ontario Health Team (OHT)
- Ray Twinney Recreation Complex located in Newmarket, operated by Southlake Regional Health Centre
Hillier and the province announced Wednesday it plans to start administering COVID-19 vaccines to residents aged 80 and older in the third week of March.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said the province wants to ensure the online booking portal won’t crash when it’s launched on March 15th.
She said government officials are taking their time because they do not want to “rush to failure” with the system.
RELATED: Ontario science advisory table says vaccine distribution must focus on age and neighbourhoods
This comes as Health Canada announced the approval of yet another vaccine with AstraZeneca joining Pfizer and Moderna as the third treatment now available for use country-wide.
Peel Region also recently announced it is opening up several COVID-19 vaccination clinics in March.
These locations will operate in tandem with vaccine administration through hospital sites.
There will be more options offered in the spring, including drive-through, mobile “on-site” clinics, primary care, and pharmacy locations.
With files from 680 NEWS reporter Momin Qureshi
