(Angelique Guerard/ XFM News)
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has drastically increased the amount of daily cases London and the province on the whole has been facing. In only a month, cases skyrocketed, with 30 reported on Dec. 1st, and 544 reported Jan. 1st.
With this information in mind, the Middlesex London Health Unit has announced that it intends to prioritize third doses for childcare workers, elementary, and secondary staff.
“It’s an absolute priority for our community to get schools back in session,” acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers explained during a recent press conference.
In the short term, the MLHU plans to give any unused booster shot appointments on a first come first serve basis to childcare, elementary, and secondary workers.
“Some…child appointments are not used, because the demand is not as brisk for those appointments as they are for the booster doses. We’re going to open up those appointments to childcare elementary and secondary employees.”
Mass vaccinations centers have also stabilized their staffing numbers, allowing for more appointments to be made.
“We will open up those appointments as they become available to childcare, elementary and secondary staff.”
Primary care partners to the MLHU will also be opening their own pop-up walk-in clinics, so as many people can access the third dose.
Proving that they’re part of the eligible group will require proof of employment will have to be shown. As for long it will take?
“Not entirely clear. A number of people in that cohort have already received a booster because we’ve been vaccinating a lot over the last three to four weeks.”
The hope is to get the workers vaccinated as soon as possible.
“We can reduce the risk in schools as much as possible. I hope that we can get kids back to school as soon as we can. All of these efforts make a big difference.”
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