WINDSOR, ONT. -- As part of its Phase 2 vaccination rollout, the Ontario government is prioritizing vaccine distribution to 10 “hot spots” — including Windsor-Essex.
Contained in their 34-page plan released late Tuesday, the government has designated 10 health units as “hot spots.”
Here’s the list:
- Durham Region Health Department
- Halton Region Public Health
- City of Hamilton Public Health Services
- Niagara Region Public Health
- Ottawa Public Health
- Peel Public Health
- Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit
- Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
- Wellington-Dufferin Guelph Public Health
- Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
- York Region Public Health
- Toronto Public Health
- Southwestern Public Health
The province says 20 per cent of Ontario’s community-based deaths have occurred in these 10 regions.
As a result, the province says Windsor-Essex will receive additional doses, up to 920,000.
This hot spot priority could mean people age 50 and up, could get their vaccines sooner here than in other parts of the province.
In the plan, the Ontario government says vaccination in the hot spot areas should begin with the oldest residents until reaching those aged 50.
The province says due to “biological, social, economic and structural factors” certain communities have faced an increased occurrence of COVID-19 and a higher risk of death and of severe outcomes at younger ages as well as the ongoing high transmission of the virus.
Hot spot areas will be identified by provincial data supported by local public health units.
The province says at the COVID-19 situation in Ontario evolves, communities experiencing ongoing surges may be identified as hot spot areas.
