COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Expanded

London and Middlesex Primary Care COVID -19 Update

March 1, 2021

Expanding COVID-19 vaccination eligibility

Starting today, Middlesex-London Health Unit will be expanding eligibility to members of the general public for the first time, including those over the age of 80 and Indigenous adults 55 years of age and older.

Healthcare workers in provincially-prioritized groups will also be able to start getting their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Among the groups now eligible to receive the vaccine are:

Staff and essential caregivers in long-term care homes, high-risk retirement homes and First Nations elder care homes, and any residents of these settings that have not yet received a first dose of vaccine.
Alternative level of care patients in hospitals who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care homes for seniors.
Frontline healthcare workers working in hospital inpatient settings and hospital procedural areas, including surgical care, obstetrics, endoscopy, operating rooms, dialysis, imaging, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy ONLY.
Residents and staff in other congregate care settings for seniors, including assisted living facilities.
Hospital and acute care healthcare workers in frontline roles with COVID-19 patients and/or with a high risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Patient-facing healthcare workers involved in the COVID-19 response.
Medical First Responders
Patient-facing community healthcare workers serving specialized populations

For a full list of all healthcare workers and sectors currently eligible for a first-dose, visit https://www.healthunit.com/covid-19-vaccine-eligibility

How to book a COVID-19 vaccination

Appointments for a COVID-19 vaccination appointment in London and Middlesex County can be booked online and by phone:

Indigenous adults 55 years of age and older can begin booking their appointments today (Monday, March 1^st)
Those over the age of 80 can begin booking their vaccine appointments starting on Tuesday, March 2^nd at 7:00 a.m.
To book an appointment online, visit https://www.covidvaccinelm.ca/.
Those who do not have Internet access can call 226-289-3560 to book an appointment over the phone. Information about booking an appointment can also be found on the Health Unit’s website: https://www.healthunit.com/covid-19-vaccine.

Mobility Concerns?

If your patients have mobility concerns and require assistance at their appointment, please ask them to bring a support person with them. The support person will need to pass a COVID-19 screen at the vaccination clinic and will not receive the vaccine unless they are also eligible and have an appointment.

More Information about the COVID-19 vaccine

Please visit https://www.healthunit.com/covid-19-vaccine

Family physicians, community based Specialists, community based Healthcare Workers, and their staff are coming up soon in the upcoming prioritization of health care workers, but we don't have a date for you yet. This prioritization is set by the province and timing is determined by local supply by the health unit. We will notify you when you are eligible and how to submit a list of your staff. You may wish to think about sharing the consent form with your staff and reviewing information about your role as an employer.

New COVID-19 testing location in London

A new COVID-19 testing location has opened at 1835 Dundas Street East. Operated by MyHealth, tests are by appointment only, and fees are covered by the Province. Visit their website here.

New/Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

(also available on www.swcovidtools.ca)

Routine immunizations and the COVID-19 vaccine
NACI recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be given simultaneously with other vaccines (live or inactivated). They advise the following;
Waiting at least 28 days after administering the complete two-dose vaccine series of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine before administering another vaccine (except in the case where another vaccine is required for post-exposure prophylaxis) due to the elicitation of an inflammatory response.
Waiting at least 14 days after administering another vaccine before administrating a COVID-19 vaccine to prevent erroneous attribution of an Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) to a particular vaccine.
For further information on the simultaneous administration of other vaccines, refer to Timing of Vaccine Administration in the Canadian Immunization Guide (CIG), Part 1.
New: Guidance on prioritization of key populations for COVID-19 immunization (National Advisory Committee on Immunization)
New: Guidance for Prioritizing Health Care Workers for COVID-19 Vaccination (Ministry of Health)
Publicly funded Routine Vaccines & Tubersol Order Form (Middlesex-London Health Unit)
Updated: MEMO: Update on Regional Prioritization of COVID-19 Vaccine February 17, 2021 (MLHU)

Other COVID-19 Resources

If there are non-hospital COVID-19 related issues/solutions in your region, please escalate them to your

Regional Pandemic Clinical Lead

(tasked by Ontario Health West to facilitate, coordinate, and engage with stakeholders for the pandemic response within the SW LHIN area RE: primary care/vulnerable populations)...structure HERE.

Dr. Gordon Schacter

London-Middlesex

gschacter@me.com

Co-Chair, SW Prim Care/Vulnerable Pop'n Response

London Middlesex Pandemic Clinical Lead