PORT HOPE, ON (September 2, 2021) - Despite this week’s closure of local mass immunization clinics, area residents continue to have options if they still need to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

As of Friday, September 3, the four fixed site mass immunization clinics hosted by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District will be closed. Instead, the Health Unit is holding smaller “mobile” clinics in various communities throughout the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County and Haliburton County. These clinics are being held in a variety of venues, including fire halls, EarlyON centres, community centres, and sports fields to make them more accessible for people who may not have had a chance or the ability to travel to the larger clinic sites.

“While we did see large numbers of people come through our mass immunization clinics, we know that there are some areas of our region in which the vaccination rates are still lower,” says Dr. Natalie Bocking, Medical Officer of Health for the HKPE District Health Unit. “Mobile clinics are now being offered in some of our smaller communities making it easier for people to get vaccinated without having to worry about transportation issues or taking time off work to travel to a clinic.”

Mobile clinics are listed on the Health Unit’s website. Clinics continue to be added, and residents are encouraged to check the site frequently for a clinic in their community.

As well as the mobile clinics, COVID-19 vaccinations will also be offered in the Health Unit’s Port Hope and Lindsay offices every Friday between 10 am to 1 pm starting Friday, September 10.

Appointments are not required for either the mobile clinics or the clinics within Health Unit offices.

Planning is also underway to offer vaccination clinics at local secondary schools in the fall. The Health Unit is working with area school boards to firm up dates and locations and once those are confirmed that information will be shared with the school communities and posted on the Health Unit’s website.

Vaccinations are also being provided by area pharmacies and some family health teams in the region.

“With so many options still available, we are hoping that residents who have yet to be fully vaccinated will come out for their first and second doses,” Dr. Bocking says.

As of August 30, just over 76 per cent of HKPR residents aged 12+ have received both doses of vaccine, but Dr. Bocking says she hopes a greater percentage of residents will get vaccinated in order to help prevent further spread of the Delta variant this fall/winter.

“Getting vaccinated not only helps protect you, but it helps protect others in our community,” Dr. Bocking says. “There are some people, like children, who cannot be vaccinated against this virus, so we need to see as many people vaccinated as possible to help stop any further spread this fall.”

To learn more about the vaccine or vaccination clinics, visit www.hkpr.on.ca.

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