{"id":106664,"date":"2021-12-13T13:25:07","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T18:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/huntsville.dopperonline.ca\/?p=106664"},"modified":"2021-12-14T10:45:04","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T15:45:04","slug":"smdhu-community-clinics-providing-covid-19-boosters-for-eligible-individuals-50-plus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/doppleronline.ca\/huntsville\/smdhu-community-clinics-providing-covid-19-boosters-for-eligible-individuals-50-plus\/","title":{"rendered":"SMDHU community clinics providing COVID-19 boosters for eligible individuals 50 plus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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As of today, individuals aged 50 years and older who received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months ago, are now eligible to receive a booster shot. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) [and partner organizations are] providing booster doses at its community clinics. [All clinic locations can be accessed] by appointment<\/strong> which can be booked through the COVID-19 Vaccination Portal<\/a> <\/span>or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/broadstreet-zone><\/strong><\/div>\n\n\n\n[Community] locations offering booster and third doses by appointment include the COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at 29 Sperling Dr. in Barrie (walk-ins also available Sun to Thurs 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.), the Cottage Country Family Health Team in Gravenhurst and the Algonquin Family Health Team in Huntsville. Additional vaccination options include appointments through the Couchiching Ontario Health Team Clinic<\/a>, some health care providers and family health teams, select pharmacies<\/a>,<\/span> the GO-VAXX<\/span><\/a> Bus, and some Indigenous-led clinics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boosters are available to individuals at least 6 months (a minimum of 168 days) after their second dose to extend their protection due to increased risk of exposure, severe disease and waning immunity. Individuals currently eligible for a booster include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022                  Residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes and First Nation elder lodges, and seniors living in other congregate settings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022                  Individuals aged 50 and over (born in 1971 or earlier)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022                  Health care workers and designated essential caregivers in congregate settings (including long-term care home and retirement home staff and designated caregivers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022                  Individuals who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022                  First Nation, Inuit and M\u00e9tis adults and their non-Indigenous household members who are 16 years of age or older.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a full two-dose series of COVID-19 vaccine provides powerful and persistent protection against COVID-19 for most people, a booster dose provides an extra layer of protection, particularly against the highly transmissible Delta variant, for individuals more at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SMDHU also continues to encourage individuals who are considered moderately or severely immunocompromised based on the Ministry of Health\u2019s definitions<\/span><\/a> to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The purpose of a third dose is to complete the original series of COVID-19 vaccine to make it a three-dose series, due to evidence of potential sub-optimal immune response to the initial two doses in specific populations, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n