With Hamilton’s COVID-19 vaccination rates falling below provincial averages regionally and in age, a number of the city’s high profile outlets will be offering up incentives at a number of events in the next week to boost shots in arms.
A Tiger-Cats practice, Restortion House and a FirstOntario Centre skate are examples of joint ventures with public health coming in the days ahead to draw those who’ve yet to get a first or second shot of a Health Canada approved vaccine.
For three days Tim Horton’s field will host a mobile clinic at upcoming Tiger-Cats practices on August 23, 24 and 25 with an opportunity to watch players practice and win some Ticats and Forge FC tickets and merch.
“Maximizing vaccination rates in our community is the path back to full-capacity crowds and the energy they bring, which is a tremendously important element for our players on gameday and our organization as a whole,” Ticats president and COO Matt Afinec said in a statement on Thursday.
Restoration House is offering Toronto Raptors jerseys, gift cards, as well as lunch in the form of Jamaican patties and samosas on Saturday when their clinic runs for three hours starting at 10:30 a.m.
Meanwhile, the city is offering a Saturday free skate with the launch of a two late night clinics at FirstOntario Centre this weekend.
The “Vaccines at Night” clinics will go Friday and Saturday (Aug. 20 and 21) from 6 to 11 p.m. each night with music and prize draws.
The Saturday event will feature the skate in addition to food and beverage concessions.
After a good start with the city’s vaccination program, which was above the provincial average 18-plus in April, Hamilton has fallen below the average over the last few months with just modest increases since eligibility was expanded to include those over the age of 12.
As of Aug. 19 the city’s rate with people over 12 was at 78.1 percent in first shots for people over 12 and 70.2 per cent fully vaccinated.
The provincial average was at 81.8 per cent with first doses and 74.2 per cent fully vaccinated as of the same day.
All three of the event clinics in the next week are not far from regions of concern for public health since the forward sortation areas (FSA) not only have low vaccination levels but high numbers of COVID tests coming back positive from Ontario labs.
The central Hamilton areas – L8L, L8J and L8M – are top 20 among 513 FSA’s in Ontario with percent positivity rates ranging between 6 and 8 per cent according to provincial data as of August 1.
The city’s rate as of Aug. 19 is at 5.7 per cent with the province’s average at 2.4 per cent.
Vaccinations rates in those three FSA’s have been hovering between 42 and 52 per cent fully vaccinated in total population as of early August.
Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger says he hopes the weekend clinics will help to bring “a big push” to ensure the city has the highest level of protection possible against COVID heading into the fall.
“Achieving high levels of vaccination is the best way to ensure Hamiltonians can protect who we love and get back to shouting Oskee Wee Wee in the stands with all of our friends at Tim Hortons Field,” Eisenberger said in a release on Thursday.