Oshawa’s L1L postal code neighbourhood declared a hot spot
The COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Oshawa is located at the Campus Ice Centre at Durham College and Ontario Tech University.
Durham Region Health Department has declared an area in north Oshawa as a COVID-19 hot spot.
Effective immediately, residents in the L1L postal code area in north Oshawa are eligible to book vaccine appointments for this hot spot area at the Ontario Tech Ice Campus clinic.
Appointments are open to individuals who live or work in the L1L area. To book appointments, visit covidvaccine.lh.ca or call 905-721-4848.
The health department says it continuously reviews data on COVID transmission and vaccination rates in Durham Region. A recent review found that the L1L north Oshawa neighbourhood has “the lowest vaccination rates in Durham Region and a high rate of COVID transmission.”
“By declaring this neighbourhood as a hot spot postal code, the health department, working with Lakeridge Health, will provide additional vaccines for the Ontario Tech Ice Campus clinic to ensure adequate support is available for those who live and work in the L1L area,” states the health department.
The Durham Region Health Department reported 23 new COVID-19 cases on May 16, bringing the active total cases in Oshawa to 324; Oshawa currently has the highest number of active cases in the region.
In Oshawa, there are currently 296 people in home isolation and 28 people in hospital with 9 in the ICU.
Ajax currently has the second-highest number of active cases in the region with 294 active COVID cases, followed by Whitby with 268 active cases.
In addition to the new north Oshawa L1L hot spot, the health department continues to vaccinate residents and workers in the Ajax and Pickering hot spot areas L1S, L1T, L1V, L1X, and L1Z, by providing pop-up clinics and mobile clinics in these postal code areas.
The province announced Monday that eligibility has been expanded to all residents 18 and older, or those individuals who will be turning 18 this year.
These individuals are now eligible to receive the vaccine at any Durham Region community mass immunization clinic.
Those who are 17 years old and will be turning 18 in 2021 will also be eligible to book their COVID-19 vaccination appointment for the Pfizer vaccine only, according to the health department.
The health department’s booking system will note the appropriate clinic for booking based on age. Appointments for this new eligibility group is available now.
To book appointments, visit www.durham.ca/vaccineappointment or call 1-888-444-5113.
“It is important to note that eligibility for vaccine does not mean that vaccine appointments will be available immediately,” notes the health department.
The province also recently announced that both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be available at participating pharmacies throughout Durham Region. For a listing of area pharmacies participating in this program, visit https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations.