Seniors 80-years-old and older and Indigenous adults in the 55 plus group in Elgin and Oxford counties will be able to begin booking COVID-19 vaccination appointments as of Tuesday.
Southwestern Public Health announced Monday the shots will be administered at Goff Hall in Woodstock at 381 Finkle St. and St. Thomas-Elgin Memorial Arena at 80 Wilson Ave. in St. Thomas beginning the week of March 15. There will also be appointments available at vaccination clinics in London and Middlesex County.
“Blocks of appointments open based on vaccine supply,” said Jaime Fletcher, program manager of the region's COVID-19 vaccination task force. “There will be enough vaccine for everyone. No one will be left behind. If you do not get an appointment on the first day, or cannot get through by phone, don’t panic. You will have an opportunity to try again very shortly. More appointments will become available regularly.”
Oxford and Elgin residents can book a vaccination appointment online at www.covidvaccinelm.ca by selecting the St. Thomas Memorial Arena or Woodstock Goff Hall from the dropdown menu. Appointments can also be booked by calling 226-289-3560. The phone line will be open daily between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
The health unit clarified those needing assistance can bring a support person to their appointment. However, that individual will have to pass a COVID-19 screening questionnaire upon arrival and will not be able to receive the vaccine unless they are also eligible and have an appointment.
People who do get an appointment are asked not to arrive early to prevent line-ups. They should wear a short-sleeved shirt, wear a face covering and have a completed consent form. Consent forms can be found online at www.swpublichealth.ca/vaccineconsent.
Middlesex London began appointment bookings for seniors last week. On the first day the online and phone booking opened, all available appointments filled up in less than two hours. Demand was so high with more than 200,000 incoming calls the phone system went down.
