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COVID-19: Plan in motion to vaccinate Hamilton youth aged 12 to 17

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, says it will take until the end of January to provide third COVID-19 doses to all eligible residents. City of Hamilton on YouTube

Hamilton’s medical officer of health expects to finalize a plan this week for the vaccination of 12 to 17 year olds.

Dr. Elizabeth Richardson says public health is working with the city’s school boards to develop a strategy, ahead of a May 20 provincial deadline.

“The concern is that, of course, the Pfizer vaccine can be used for those that are 12 to 17, the Moderna vaccine cannot be,” says Dr. Richardson.

“Making sure that there’s access to Pfizer for everyone is something that we’re all working on together.”

“The ideal timeline,” Richardson adds, “is for that first dose to happen during the month of June.” She says the timeline for the second dose is “meant to be the middle two weeks of August.”

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Dr. Richardson says Hamilton Public Health is looking to set up “family friendly clinics” within its mass vaccination sites during the weeks of June 14 and June 21 in order to support families being vaccinated.

“And of course, we’re going to make sure that Pfizer is available in those clinics for everybody,” Richardson adds.

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She stresses that “we’re very much in the throes of planning at the moment, and exactly what we’re doing to do is what’s going to be decided over the coming week or so.”

Click to play video: 'Over 150 cases linked to COVID-19 outbreaks at 3 Hamilton apartments'
Over 150 cases linked to COVID-19 outbreaks at 3 Hamilton apartments

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