Niagara Health will soon start booking vaccination appointments for people 80 and older who are in hospital or have been admitted and stayed overnight during the last six months.
This includes patients at all Niagara Health sites as well as Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Linda Boich, Niagara Health Executive Vice President, says it's vital to get doses in arms for those who are considered at risk.
"We are taking this interim measure, while Niagara Region Public Health completes planning for mass vaccination sites, to get vaccines into the arms of our community’s most vulnerable at the earliest opportunity. The 80+ age group is identified as a priority in the province’s vaccination guidelines, and our hospital team will reach out directly to these people by telephone to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination appointments."
Niagara Health is also in the process off providing vaccines to healthcare workers.
So far, 16,600 vaccines have been administered to patient-facing healthcare workers at long-term care and retirement homes, hospital staff and physicians, dentists, medical first responders, primary care providers and other specialists.
Niagara Health's clinic is at the Seymour Hannah Sports & Entertainment Centre in St. Catharines.
Those eligible for vaccines will be contacted when it is their turn for an inoculation.
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