Second Dose Eligibility and NWHU Walk-in Clinics

Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) has released its COVID-19 clinic schedule for next week. Many clinics are taking place throughout the region for 1st and 2nd doses for anyone eligible.

The eligibility criteria for these clinics include

1st dose: Anyone aged 12 or older

2nd dose:

• Anyone born in 1951 or earlier (70+) *new
• Anyone who had their first dose on or before April 18 *new
• First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people, and their household members
• Those who live in a long-term care home or Eldercare lodge
• Transplant recipients, dialysis patients, cancer patients on active treatment, and those taking anti-CD20 agent medications
• High-risk health care workers as defined by Ontario’s High-Risk Health Care Workers Eligible to Receive a Second Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine at a Shortened Interval page

The newly added groups above can book an appointment using the Provincial Booking System beginning June 7, however, if preferred, they can instead attend a walk-in clinic listed below.

The public should be aware that as per the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) guidance, the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines can be safely interchanged for first and second doses if the original mRNA vaccine is not readily available. NWHU will make all attempts at providing the same vaccine as the first dose, however, if it is not available, individuals may receive the other brand of mRNA vaccine instead. This practice does not impact the vaccine’s effectiveness or safety and is a common practice in routine vaccination series for other diseases.

Walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic schedule

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Media contact:
Dr. Kit Young Hoon
Medical Officer of Health
Northwestern Health Unit
jbegg@nwhu.on.ca