Southwestern Public Health announced this afternoon (Wednesday) more groups have been added to the eligibility for COVID-19 vaccination.
These include residents, primary essential caregivers and staff of high-risk congregate living settings. Included are supportive housing, emergency homeless settings and homes for special care among other facilities.
Also, those 16 years of age and older with high-risk health conditions such as organ transplant recipients.
The following groups have been added to the eligibility for the COVID-19 Vaccine in our region.
1. Residents, Primary Essential Caregivers and Staff of High-Risk Congregate Living Settings
High-risk congregate living settings refer to residential facilities where a high-risk client population live or stay overnight and use shared spaces (e.g. common sleeping areas, shared bathrooms, shared kitchens, communal dining spaces). These settings are at higher risk of transmission, and include:
• Supportive housing
• Developmental services/intervenor including supported independent living
• Emergency homeless shelters
• Other homeless populations not in shelters
• Mental health and addictions congregate living
• Homes for special care
• Employer-provided living accommodations for temporary foreign agricultural workers
• Adult correctional facilities
• Violence Against Women (VAW) shelters
• Anti-Human Trafficking (AHT) residences
• Children’s residential facilities
• Youth justice facilities
• Indigenous healing and wellness
• Bail beds and Indigenous bail beds
• Provincial and demonstration schools/Consortium Centre Jules-Leger
• Inpatients on rehabilitation, complex care, geriatrics and mental health units
2. Adults 16 years of age and older with the following highest-risk health conditions:
• 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
In addition, one primary essential caregiver for an individual with an eligible highest-risk health conditions is now also eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
NOTE: Primary essential caregivers are individuals who provide regular and sustained assistance with personal care and/or activities of daily living.
How to Schedule An Appointment:
• Those eligible due to health-related condition, as well as their primary essential caregiver. Health
care providers must pre-register these individuals. Details to follow on April 1.
• Those eligible due to defined congregate setting. Owners/Leadership at the congregate setting must pre-register these individuals. Details to follow on April 1.
