Reminder: Vaccine Eligibility Expands Friday April 16 for Essential Workers & High-Risk Groups

COVID-19
Written By

Halton Region Public Health is expanding vaccination eligibility to additional groups starting on Friday April 16th:Additional groups of eligibility will now include:

  • Individuals (age 18 and older) with highest-risk and high-risk health conditions (see conditions as identified by the Province or read below*) and one essential caregiver;
  • Essential workers (age 18 and older) who cannot work from home (Group 1 as identified by the Province) - see below** for details;
  • Adults 50+ in an identified hot spot area (Adults 50 years of age and older living in the L9E postal code area in Milton is the only one applicable in Halton); and,
  • Remaining health care workers who live or work in Halton and cannot work from home.

Please note: essential workers must bring a completed COVID-19 Proof of Employment Attestation Form to their appointment signed by their employer, confirming they are currently eligible based on the Province of Ontario eligibility guidelines for Group 1(a copy of this form is also attached).  Given limited vaccine supply, only essential workers in Group 1 (see below), as identified by Province, are currently eligible for vaccination. Essential workers in Group 2 (<--click link to see list) will be eligible for vaccination soon - when vaccine supply is available. Watch for further announcements on that group.Remember that all individuals age 55 and up can now book appointments for vaccines directly at local pharmacies - the full list of pharmacies can be found here.*Highest-Risk health conditions include:

  • Organ transplant recipients*
  • Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
  • Neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis)
  • Haematological malignancy diagnosed <1 year*
  • Kidney disease eGFR< 30

*High-Risk health conditions include:

  • Obesity (BMI > 40)
  • Other treatments causing immunosuppression (e.g., chemotherapy, immunity- weakening medications)**
  • Intellectual or developmental disabilities (e.g., Down Syndrome)

**Essential workers (age 18 and older) who cannot work from home (Group 1 as identified by Province):

  • elementary/secondary school workers (including educators, custodial, school bus drivers, administrative staff);
  • workers responding to critical events (including police, fire, special constables, children’s aid society workers, emergency management, and critical infrastructure restoration workers);
  • enforcement, inspection and compliance roles (including by-law enforcement, building inspectors, food inspectors, animal welfare inspectors, border inspection officers, and labour inspectors/WSIB field workers);
  • all licensees, employees and students on an educational placement who interact directly with children in licensed child care centres and in authorized recreation and skill building programs;
  • licensed home child care and in-home service providers, employees of a home child care agency and students on an educational placement;
  • foster care agency workers (including customary care providers);
  • food manufacturing and distribution workers;
  • agriculture and farm workers; and
  • funeral, crematorium and cemetery workers.

Halton Region Health continue to follow provincial direction on prioritization and Public Health does not have the authority to make any exceptions. A full list of the specific health conditions and occupations identified in Group 1 that will eligible to book starting Friday is available on our website here. The availability of appointments will be contingent on supply.Please note that the system will be unavailable between 9 p.m. Thursday and approximately 3 a.m. on Friday morning as system changes are made.—PLEASE NOTE: To stay updated on what the City of Burlington is doing regarding COVID-19, please visit the dedicated pages burlington.ca/coronavirus (and subscribe) and bit.ly/mayormeedwardCOVID19updates, and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page — bit.ly/COVID19BurlingtonFAQ that are updated as new information becomes available.A consolidated page for information and updates on the work of the provincial Ministers’ COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force is available at bit.ly/COVIDVaccineUpdates.Halton Region has also created a dedicated COVID-19 Vaccine webpage at halton.ca/covidvaccines for up to date information on the status of our COVID19 vaccination program.A Burlington COVID-19 Task Force has been created to help support our community through this unprecedented emergency — updates will be provided at burlington.ca/COVID19taskforce.To report an incident of non-compliance with provincial emergency orders, please contact the Halton Regional Police Service COVID-19 Hotline: 905-825-4722.We’ve also created a dedicated page to feature the local organizations and businesses that have inspired us during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking action to support our community in new and creative ways — head to bit.ly/covidwallofinspiration.HELPFUL RESOURCES & RELATED LINKS:

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