Covid Vaccination Update
This morning at 12:01 Ottawa moved into the Red-Control Level Framework as a result of worsening trends in key health indicators in the region. From March 10 to 15, 2021, Ottawa’s case rate increased by 24.8 per cent to 46.8 cases per 100,000 people, and is continuing to climb. Hospitals in our city are working at over capacity to handle the backlog of critical health care services and COVID-19 patients.
Some schools have been forced to close due to the number of variants of concern growing exponentially. While Ottawa’s limited COVID-19 vaccine supplies have reached some of our community’s most vulnerable in long-term care and retirement home settings, we are still months away from protecting the older adult and other populations at risk of hospitalizations and death. Only about 30% of people over the age of 80 have been protected. Further, people in their 50s make up 23% of COVID-related hospitalizations since December, and this age group is not due for vaccination for a while. Although vaccination efforts are accelerating with every shipment received, we have yet to provide vaccines to every member of our City’s most vulnerable.
This is not a lockdown. Most businesses can remain open. Restaurants and gyms can stay open, however, given the nature of their higher risk activities where people are in close contact without a mask, COVID-19 transmission is higher. There is now a capacity limit of 10 patrons seated indoors for restaurants, and for gyms a maximum of 10 people in indoor areas with weights and exercise machines or for classes, with physical distancing always maintained.
Complete details regarding what is and is not permitted for gatherings, restaurants, sports, retail, and personal care services within the Red-Control level can be found on the provincial website.
This past Monday we saw the launch of the provincial online booking system for the COVID vaccine. This marks an important milestone in the vaccination rollout. As with any transition, there is a period of adjustment.
While we are adapting to the provincial booking system, residents may experience delays. Please do not call the Ottawa Public Health booking line unless you are among the eligible groups to receive the vaccine. It is important that the phonelines are accessible to those who fall within the Phase One roll out.
Bay Ward has been included as one of the five high priority neighbourhoods to fit the criteria to have a pop-up clinic in the City. The clinic is located at the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre, 102 Greenview Avenue. The clinic is running on Monday March 22. Residents who are 80 or older (born in 1941 or earlier) or are adult recipients of chronic home care and live in the community can call to book a vaccination appointment at the pop-up clinic.
Pop up clinics are not available through the provincial booking system, eligible residents should call 613-691-5505 to make an appointment.
Pop-up clinics are set up at a site for multiple days but are not permanent. Throughout the vaccination rollout, pop-up clinics will be set up in different areas of the city to get the vaccines to people in high-risk areas and where eligible residents may have a harder time accessing a clinic.
Throughout the vaccination rollout, pop-up clinics will continue to be set-up in different areas of the city. For a list of clinic locations see Ottawa’s vaccination distribution plan.
The province announced earlier today, beginning on Monday, March 22nd, residents 75 years of age and older will be eligible to book an appointment at a community clinic. In addition, participating pharmacies and primary care settings will offer vaccination appointments to residents 60 years of age and over.
Details on locations and the application process for pharmacy participation will be shared by the province in the coming days.