Both Hamilton and Niagara public health units are set to rollout COVID-19 vaccine clinics in and near public schools within’ days, according to officials.
On Monday, the Ford government said vaccinations in Ontario schools would be part of it’s “last mile” vaccination strategy with a mandate of making it easy for students, school staff and families to get their shots.
“By making vaccines more accessible, and with a cautious reopening in September following the expert advice of the chief medical officer of health, we will further bolster our fight against COVID-19 and variants,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement.
Dr. Dina Kulik, pediatrician and founder of Kidcrew, told Global News she believes the clinics are a good idea since they eliminate the need for busy families to book and travel to health facilities for shots.
“I think giving vaccines where kids are, is an awesome strategy versus relying on people to leave their homes to go where they are, like the doctor’s office or like a vaccine clinic,” Kulik said.
Officials from Hamilton public health, the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) and Catholic board (HWCDSB) say specifics on when and where the clinics will take place is coming in the next few days.
Niagara public health released their schedule on Tuesday with the first clinic set for St. Catharines Collegiate on Monday. Five clinics will hit the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) facilities between the 23rd and 27th.
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Catholic board (NCDSB) schools with see three clinics between Sept. 1 and Sept. 3.
All will run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and issue either Moderna or Pfizer shots.
Those turning 12 this year (born on or before Dec. 31, 2009) will be eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in Ontario.
Currently, the youngest age to get a shot in Canada is 12-years-old since none of the current vaccines available have approval for children under that age.
“We are now in a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Niagara’s acting medical officer of health said in a release.
“Children are the largest group unvaccinated group in our population, and therefore now at the greatest risk from COVID-19.”
HWDSB chair Dawn Danko says Hamilton’s school based vaccine clinics are set for the end August and during the first few weeks of the September return.
“So that could be during the school day, before or after school,” Danko told Global News.
“Our board will continue to work with public health to to make sure that we can support that.”
Danko said she’s hoping to receive more clarity from the province in the next few days on issues surrounding mandatory vaccinations, rapid testing distribution and informed consent.
“I think the critical piece is that it needs to be informed consent, so we would hope that we can provide through public health the information that families and students would need to make that decision,” said Danko.
According to spokespeople from Hamilton and Niagara public health anyone aged 12 to 17 in the communities are not required to provide parental consent to get a COVID-19 shot.
With both health units, vaccines are provided if informed consent is received from the person to be vaccinated, including those aged 12 to 17, and as long as they have the capacity to make the decision.
Hamilton’s two major post secondary institutions have no specific plans for on-site vaccinations clinics for students but are working with public health to provide such access in the Fall.
Paul Armstrong, chief operating officer of Mohawk College, says the key message executives are sending to in-coming students is to get a vaccination via recommendations from public health or through provincial resources.
“There’s lots of resources there as to where people can get vaccinated for our populations, like the international students,” Armstrong said.
“We’ve had great support from a number of public health agencies around vaccine clinics to ensure that they’re getting access to the vaccines they need if they don’t have them upon arrival.”
McMaster students will have opportunities to get vaccinated on campus through the student wellness centre in addition to other yet to be announced options that are in planning stages.
On Monday, both McMaster University and Mohawk College released notices to all students, faculty, staff and visitors that anyone attending the facilities will have to have proof they are fully vaccinated.
Exemptions include medical conditions and those who can provide a “validated human rights ground.”
Danko says she expects to get more clarity on exemptions within’ the public school board soon, but anticipates it will be similar to policy at the post-secondary schools.
“I would expect, just like we have for our students who are required to report vaccinations to attend, we will have a process for them to report some reasonable specific exemptions as well to public health,’ Danko said.
As of Monday, 69.9 per cent of Hamilton eligible population 12-plus have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, however, just under 56 per cent of those aged 12 to 17 have been fully vaccinated.
Youth under 19 represent 23.27 per cent of Hamilton’s 318 active COVID cases as Aug.17.
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