COVID-19 vaccine clinic coming to Prince Edward Community Centre

The County and Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) have finalized a plan to host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Prince Edward Community Centre in Picton.

“For the past year we have rallied as a community to prevent the spread of the virus. The arrival of the vaccine gives us hope that better days are ahead, and we will do everything we can as a municipality to ensure vaccination is a success,” said Mayor Steve Ferguson.

HPEPH has launched an age-based vaccine notification form, where residents can register to receive notification when their age group becomes eligible to receive the vaccine.

HPEPH is currently offering the vaccine to eligible groups who have been contacted directly by HPEPH or their workplace. Those groups include:
– Residents, staff and essential caregivers in long-term care homes, high-risk retirement homes and First Nations elder care homes.
– Alternative level of care patients in hospitals who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care home for seniors.
– Highest priority health care workers and very high priority health care workers who provide more direct, in-person patient care, have higher likelihood of engaging in higher exposure risk procedures, and provide urgent and critical, services that cannot be delayed or deferred.
– Indigenous adults in northern remote and higher risk communities (including on-reserve and urban communities).
– Individuals who have been contacted directly by the province of Ontario or their health care provider to participate in pilot booking and vaccination projects being offered by HPEPH.

Open clinics for age-based availability are not currently available; however, HPEPH plans to begin to offer the vaccine to individuals 80 years of age and older beginning mid-March.

Age-based clinics will be offered to age-based increments of the population in descending order. Approximate start times for age-based increments are available on the HPEPH website though timelines are approximate. Vaccines may be delivered to various groups concurrently or sequentially based on vaccine availability, as well as provincial or local priority setting.

You can register to receive notification when your age group is eligible for the vaccine. Visit the HPEPH website to sign up. HPEPH asks that people do not call to inquire if your age group is eligible. This will ensure phone lines remain available to those who need them most. Weekly vaccine updates are posted on the HPEPH website.

The COVID-19 testing centre continues to operate at the Prince Edward Community Centre Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm. Call 613.813.6864. For weekend testing, call the Belleville/Trenton hotline at 613.961.5544.