Hamilton expands COVID-19 vaccine efforts to prioritize Black, racialized communities
Published April 23, 2021 at 2:43 pm
Hamilton’s Public Health Services (PHS) and their local health-care partners are stepping up efforts to ensure the city’s BIPOC and racialized individuals 18 years of age and older are prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
“To increase vaccine accessibility to those who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, Hamilton Public Health Services is prioritizing Black and other racialized populations/people of colour beginning with serving those ages 18+ and live in postal codes L9C, L8W, L8L, L8N and L9K for COVID-19 vaccination,” a PHS press release issued Friday (April 23) said.
“While COVID-19 vaccine supply is limited, it remains crucial that the limited supply is targeted to those most at-risk to make the biggest possible impact.”
According to data collected by PHS, of Hamilton’s confirmed 16,113 COVID-19 cases, 47 per cent identify as a member of a racialized community but racialized people make up just 19 per cent of the city’s population.
In the release, PHS said they are working in collaboration with Black and other racialized community leaders to determine how best to get vaccines to those who need them.
Among other initiatives to improve vaccine confidence among these populations, PHS said they are working towards providing ongoing clinics in community-identified locations and expanding options for registration and booking to improve access, including direct booking for Hamilton COVID-19 vaccine clinics through the Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline.
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Starting Monday (April 26), a vaccine clinic at Restoration House, at 54 Vine St. in downtown Hamilton, is hosting a clinic until Friday, April 30.
The clinic will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
Black and other racialized populations/people of colour, who are ages 18+ and live in the eligible postal codes L9C, L8W, L8L, L8N, and L9K can book an appointment for a first dose of the vaccine by calling the Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7.
“These are all by-appointment-only clinics, walk-ins are not permitted,” the release said.
“Proof of address must be shown when arriving for an appointment if eligibility is due to a hot spot address.”
Appointments are expected to fill up quickly but more clinics are in the works, though they depend entirely on vaccine supply.
To find out more about Hamilton’s vaccine rollout, visit the City’s website.
— with a photo from the Canadian Press
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