The St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital is freeing up space at COVID-19 mass vaccination clinics by taking its high-risk health-care workers out of the equation.
The hospital has opened its own vaccination site to provide the facility's front-line workers with their second dose shots.
Currently, high-risk health care workers including nurses, personal support workers, and those who are directly involved in the COVID-19 response are eligible to get their second shot. The provincial government announced the shorter interval between first and second doses for high-risk health-care staff on May 10.
The onsite clinic is a collaboration between the hospital and Southwestern Public Health - the area's public health unit.
"This model has worked well in long-term care and will help to free up appointments in community vaccination clinics, allowing more people to be vaccinated faster and increases accessibility and ease of vaccination for our staff,” said Karen Riddell. the hospital's vice president of people and safety.
Nearly 300 staff members have already signed up to receive their second shot at the new clinic over a four day period.
"I’m not surprised at the response we’ve received from our front-line teams,” said Riddell. “Staff are committed to getting fully vaccinated as soon as possible to protect the health and safety of themselves, their patients, and residents of Elgin County and beyond.”
As of last Friday, Southwestern Public Health has administered more than 100,000 COVID-19 shots, with 48 per cent of the total population in the two counties having now received at least one dose.
“We have an enormous amount of work ahead of us, but the significant work already accomplished has resulted in 100,000 residents with at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in their arm. Most encouragingly, we see the resulting reduction in COVID-19 infections in the age cohorts with the highest levels of vaccination,” said Dr. Joyce Lock, the region's medical officer of health.
Figures from the health unit show 77 per cent of seniors 80 and older, 87 per cent of those 70-plus, and 81 per cent of people in the over 60 age groups have to-date been given at least one shot.
