Mass immunization clinics winding down in Durham

Durham Region Health Department will be winding down local COVID-19 vaccine mass immunization clinics, effective Saturday, Aug. 14.

The health department says this gives community members a few more weeks to get their first or second dose at one of these clinics.

“Local mass immunization clinics are no longer filling up, signaling the need to phase out large scale clinics,” says Durham Region Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Kyle. “As the need for large mass immunization clinics comes to an end, there will still be many opportunities for residents to get vaccinated.”

Durham Region Health Department vaccine clinics are being planned on a smaller scale to be available in the community for those who have waited or been unable to access mass immunization clinics.

These additional clinics will be posted by Aug. 13 on the Durham Region Health Department website.

Additionally, pharmacies and some primary care providers continue to offer vaccines in the community.

The health department says mass immunization clinics have been operating daily since March, and have administered more than 687,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

As of Aug. 6, 23 per cent of Durham residents 12 and older still need to get their first dose and 32 per cent need to get their second dose to be fully vaccinated.

The health department is urging anyone 12 and older to get vaccinated if they have not done so to protect themselves and others against variants of concerns, including the Delta variant, which is circulating in Durham Region.

Walk-in opportunities for either first or second doses continue to be available at all mass immunization clinics for anyone 12 and older. Appointments can also still be booked.

Those with an appointment booked at a mass immunization clinic after the date that the clinic closes will be contacted by phone or email about where they can receive their vaccination.

To book an appointment, visit www.durham.ca/vaccineappointment or call 1-888-444-5113.

For more information, visit www.durham.ca/covidvaccines.

 

Local mass immunization clinics will be closing as follows:

Rick MacLeish Memorial Community Centre, Cannington

Last clinic date: Aug. 14; clinic closes Aug. 15

Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex Arena, Pickering

Last clinic date: Aug. 20; clinic closes: Aug. 21

Uxbridge Arena & Recreation Centre, Uxbridge

Last clinic date: Aug. 21; clinic closes: Aug. 22

McKinney Recreation Centre, Whitby

Last clinic date: Aug. 23; clinic closes: Aug. 24

Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Centre, Bowmanville

Last clinic date: Aug. 25; clinic closes: Aug. 26

Scugog Arena, Scugog

Last clinic date: Aug. 28; clinic closes: Aug. 29

Ontario Tech Campus Ice Centre, Oshawa

Last clinic date: Sept. 14; clinic closes: Sept. 15

Audley Recreation Centre, Ajax

Last clinic date: Sept. 16; clinic closes: Sept. 17