I know that residents are eager to receive their COVID-19 vaccine and that is welcome news. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine when it is your turn is one of the best things you can do to prevent severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths. Making sure our community has access to vaccines has been our top priority and I continue to advocate to our provincial and federal counterparts for ongoing and predictable supply for our residents.

We are booking appointments and vaccinating residents as quickly as supplies arrive. We have six clinics in Halton operating seven days a week and a team of dedicated Regional staff and hospital partners who are working tirelessly to make booking appointments and getting vaccinated as easy as possible. We’ve received an overwhelmingly positive response from our community, and I’m pleased to share some of this feedback with you. For those of you who are on the fence about vaccination, I hope these experiences inspire you to get vaccinated when you are eligible!

Over the past few months, I’ve visited each of our vaccination clinics across Halton. These positive comments from people who have attended our clinics reflect what I’ve seen firsthand—our team is going above and beyond each and every day to provide an excellent experience and protect our community.

Halton’s vaccine rollout has truly been a team effort. Our Public Health staff, Paramedic Services staff, community partners and local hospitals, the Region’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hamidah Meghani and other members of the leadership team at the Region have all played a role in making the vaccine program run smoothly in Halton. I can’t thank this team enough for all of their work during this rollout.

We continue to follow Provincial direction on prioritization and will continue to expand appointments to more eligible groups in alignment with the Province and as supplies are confirmed. When you are eligible to receive your vaccine, I encourage you to book an appointment at one of our clinics or at one of the many participating pharmacy locations in Halton. All vaccines approved by Health Canada are safe and effective and the best vaccine you can get is the first one offered to you!

Thank you again to our staff for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to all residents who are doing their part to protect our community. Together, we help keep Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.

To learn more about our COVID-19 vaccination program, including who is currently eligible, vaccine safety and how to book an appointment online, please visit halton.ca.