Point Edward, ON – Lambton Public Health (LPH) is partnering with four local primary care practice groups on a new pilot project to administer Moderna vaccines to their patients with the high-risk chronic health conditions.
“Primary care providers have always had an important role to play in community immunization,” said Dr. Sudit Ranade, Medical Officer of Health for Lambton County. “They will also be pivotal in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.”
The pilot, which is beginning this week, is designed to increase access to immunizations to eligible patients in the region, build capacity for delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations through primary care, and expand vaccine distribution channels.
The participating primary care groups are Central Lambton Family Health Team, Twin Bridges Nurse Practitioner Clinic, Rapids Family Health Team, and North Lambton Community Health Centre. A small number of doses have been allocated to each of the providers – a total of 2600 doses initially.
“It is anticipated this pilot will give these providers experience with storage and handling of the COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the Provincial reporting system (COVAX) that is critical to ensure every dose is accounted for,” said Dr. Ranade. “Most importantly this pilot will also help protect some of our community’s most vulnerable.”
Eligible patients who belong to these practice groups will be contacted to book an appointment for their immunization soon.
As vaccine supply becomes more readily available, and with the expected increase in availability of AstraZeneca, more local primary care providers will be able to participate.
The Province’s AstraZeneca vaccine delivery pilot program with pharmacies has expanded to approximately 700 locations to immunize eligible Ontarians aged 60-64, by appointment only,
in specific regions. Lambton County is not currently involved in this program.
The Province’s Phase 2 highest-risk chronic health conditions include organ transplant recipients, hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, people with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised, among other conditions.
Please visit GetTheVaccine.ca for the latest updates on the vaccine roll-out plan in Lambton County.
-30-