Mobile clinics, GO-Vaxx Bus to target Hamilton neighbourhoods with low vaccination uptake

Hamilton’s public health unit will hit the streets in September with the hopes of getting COVID-19 vaccine shots into the arms of more residents by pinpointing areas that have struggled with uptake.

Ontario reached a milestone of over 10 million fully vaccinated on Sept. 2 equating to 77 per cent of the eligible (12 and older) population having two shots. First dose coverage stands at 83.3 per cent as of the Labour Day weekend.

As of Friday, Hamilton is lagging behind the provincial average with just 72.8 per cent fully vaccinated and just over 80 per cent having had at least one dose.

The city ranks 31 out of 34 health regions in second dose coverage with only Chatham-Kent, Porcupine (Timmins area), and Haldimand-Norfolk faring worse for fully vaccinated residents.

Compounding the problem is the city’s increasing case count which is ahead of recent worst case scenario forecasts revealed by public health in early August.

Hamilton remains number two among the 34 public health regions in Ontario with 7.1 per cent of COVID tests returning positive from Ontario labs. Only Windsor-Essex has a higher rate, 7.6 per cent, reported last week.

Of concern amid the increase in infections is a rise in cases with no known epidemiological link, which can hamper contact tracing efforts for health officials. On average in August, public health data showed anywhere between a third to a half of daily cases had no known epi-link.

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Medical officer of health Dr. Elizabeth Richardson says the challenge going forward is finding those in areas of lower coverage with the “quickest fashion” and completing their series of vaccinations.

“We’ve been in there. We early on had a broader list of those sites and we’ve been in there for months and months now trying to bring the vaccine close to people as we possibly can,” Richardson said.

September will also see another round of vaccination clinics in schools and hopes of an expansion in workplace programs.

“Particularly we’re looking at those larger employers who have that close kind of work and where they think their vaccine rates might be low,” Richardson said.

“We’re more than happy to go out and work with them and see what can be done to increase their vaccination rates.”

The city will target no less than 16 locations with lower vaccination coverage rates in the first 20 days of the month with the Province’s GO-VAXX bus driving to a pair of locations in the latter half of September.

Walk-in clinics are open to those 12 years of age or older before the end of 2021. Here are the current locations public health has scheduled for September:

• Stoney Creek Recreation Centre – 45 King St. W – Sept. 6, 7 and 8, 2021, between 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre – 876 Cannon St. East – Sept. 6, 2021, between  10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Victoria Park Community Homes – 151 Queen St. North – Sept. 6, 2021, between 1 to 6 p.m.
• Harry Howell Twin-Pad Arena – 27 Hwy 5 West, Flamborough – Sept. 7, 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 2 p.m.; and Sept. 8, 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
• 541 Eatery & Exchange – 541 Barton St. East – Sept. 9 and 16, 2021, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Neighbour to Neighbour (Hamilton Community Food Centre) – 28 Athens St. – Sept. 8, 2021, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Sept. 9, 2021, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Glanbrook Arena – 4300 Binbrook Rd. – Sept. 9 and 10, 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
• Dundas Community Centre – 29 Market St. South, Dundas, – Sept. 9, 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
• Lynden Legion – 206 Lynden Road, Hamilton – Sept. 10 and 17, 2021, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• East End Public Health Clinic – 247 Centennial Pkwy, Unit 8 (behind Wendy’s) – Sept. 10, 2021, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Central Library (HPL) – 55 York Blvd. – Sept. 11, 2021, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Saltfleet Community Centre – 605 Hwy 8, Stoney Creek – Sept. 11 and 12, 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
• Ryerson Recreation Centre – 251 Duke St. – Sept. 11 and 12, 2021, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.
• J.C. Beemer Park (outdoor clinic) – 86 Victoria Ave. North – Sept. 12, 2021, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30p.m.
• Eva Rothwell Centre – 460 Wentworth St. North – Sept. 18, 2021, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Binbrook Fair (Memorial Hall) – 2600 Hamilton Regional Rd. 56, Binbrook – Sept. 19, 2021, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Pfizer only)

• Battlefield Park 77 King St. West, Stoney Creek – Sept. 13, 2021, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Ancaster Fair 630 Trinity Rd. South, Jerseyville – Sept. 26, 2021, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To see all upcoming clinics and the next round of schools chosen as vaccination sites, check the city’s website.