Hamilton’s COVID-19 vaccination program expansion to include adults aged 60 to 64 in certain primary care settings eligible for the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine beginning Saturday

HAMILTON, ON – Beginning Saturday, March 13th, a number of primary care settings in Hamilton will begin to administer the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine to those residents ages 60-64 (in 2021) who are in good health as part of a provincial pilot program. This pilot program is an encouraging next step in the vaccination efforts in Hamilton.

These primary care settings have been chosen to participate in this pilot program by the Hamilton Family Medicine partners in areas throughout the city where residents have been identified as being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Planning to incorporate additional primary care practices is ongoing. The partnership supporting the initial pilot sites include Community Healthcare Centres, the Hamilton Family Health Team and McMaster Family Health Team.

Eligible residents will be contacted directly by their primary care physician’s office to book appointments, there are no other booking options for this pilot program, residents are asked to please not contact their primary care office for an appointment. This is by-appointment only, walk-ins are not permitted. Please note, there will be other opportunities for this age category to receive a COVID-19 vaccine through large-scale vaccination clinics at another date.

It’s important to note, when being contacted for an appointment, members of the public will NOT be asked for their healthcard number, social insurance number, or credit card number. Vaccinations are free of charge.

We need to work together to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community, to reserve healthcare and hospital capacity and to protect vulnerable settings.

Quick facts

• Hamilton has been chosen as one of six Ontario-wide pilot sites to model the delivery of COVID-19 vaccine in primary care settings.
• Vaccination roll-out is based on the prioritization framework as determined by Provincial guidelines. Phasing and sequencing will continue to be released for additional categories as per the direction of the provincial government.
• Working groups from across Hamilton’s health sector continue to work to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are distributed effectively and equitably once they arrive locally. Teams are focused on implementing the provincial framework to ensure prioritization of key populations is met and that the logistics around local storage and distribution of vaccine supply are ready to be operationalized.
• It is vital that members of the public, even those who have been vaccinated, ensure that public health measures still be practiced until it is safe and said to be safe by the health professionals in all levels of government.  Public health measures include:  
  • stay home if you are feeling unwell
  • get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or have been in close contact with a confirmed positive case of COVID-19
  • limit gatherings to only members of your immediate household
  • maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet or 2 meters from others outside of your immediate household
  • wear a mask or face covering indoors and outdoors when not able to maintain physical distancing
  • wash hands frequently

Additional resources

• Read more about Ontario Pharmacies and Primary Care Settings to Begin Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations
• Read more about Ontario’s COVID vaccination program.
• www.hamilton.ca/COVIDvaccines
• www.hamilton.ca/coronavirus
• https://covid-19.ontario.ca
• Public Health Services’ COVID-19 Hotline: 905-974-9848 or [email protected]