Lambton Public Health has introduced a new COVID-19 vaccine standby list to make it easier for residents to get their first or second dose of an mRNA vaccine.
Eligible residents can fill out an online form to be added to the list each day, as long as they are able to travel to a clinic on short notice.
Lambton County Medical Officer of Health Dr. Sudit Ranade said the list will ensure that a clinic isn't left with extra doses by the end of the day.
"In the past, we had a really good mechanism of maintaining a list where people who were eligible, we could call them in. Those groups, we've gone to them and now it's actually more about getting to anyone in the wider population who might want a dose more quickly than their appointment."
Ranade said the number of end-of-day doses depends on several factors such as the number of appointments booked, vaccine supply, and cancellations.
Only those who are eligible to receive a dose will be called, that includes youth 12 years of age and older and those who received their first dose at least 28 days prior.
The standby list will reset every clinic day at 10 a.m. and names on the list one day will not carry over to the next. The form will not be available once the maximum amount of people sign up and the health unit said there is no guarantee that people on the list will be called.
Although several residents have booked appointments, Ranade said there continues to be some availability at the Clearwater Clinic.
Sarnia-Lambton likely won't see any drive-thru vaccination clinics as seen in other areas but moving forward, Ranade said there is potential for adding walk-in options.
"We're going to have to, over time, switch our strategy away from the mass vaccination clinics as they get less and less full to smaller-scale strategies," he said.
The province reported on Thursday that more than half of adults in Ontario have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Questions about the vaccine standby list can be called in to (226) 254-8222 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. However, call volumes are still extremely high so residents are asked to be patient.
