Hamilton residents in three more postal codes can book their COVID vaccines

Hamilton residents who are at least 50 years old and live in an additional three hot spot postal codes can now book their COVID-19 vaccines through the city hotline.

Any Hamilton resident 18 years and older belonging to an Indigenous community is also eligible for a second dose earlier than previously announced.

Public health confirmed Friday afternoon that anyone turning 50 or older in 2021 (born in 1971 or earlier) and living in any of the five hot spot postal codes can book their shots.

The postal codes are:

• L8W on the east Mountain;

• L9C on the west Mountain;

• L8N, which includes downtown east of James Street and the Stinson neighbourhood to the Mountain brow;

• L8L, which covers the North End, Beasley, Landsdale, Keith, Stipley and Crown Point West;

• L9K, which includes part of the west Mountain and Ancaster, including Meadowlands.

Residents turning 50 or older in the first two postal codes can book their shots online at covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ or by phoning the city's hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7. Those in the latter three postal codes can currently only book through the hotline.

Hamilton public health has requested the additional three postal codes be added to the online tool. On Thursday, the province did not confirm when it expects to do that, instead saying additional hot spots may be identified."

The city has previously encouraged all who can to register online to free up the phone line for residents without health cards or computer access.

The city also announced a new pop-up clinic, which will run April 10 and 11 at Lake Avenue Public School near Barton Street East. Two other pop-up clinics are also available until April 11 at Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre in Stipley and Pinky Lewis Recreation Centre in Gibson. Appointments at pop-up clinics are only available through the city hotline.

Meanwhile, Hamiltonians who are turning 60 years old or older in 2021 in any postal code can book their shots at a mass clinic online at covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ or by calling 1-888-999-6488. They can also call the city hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7, to get their COVID shot at a pop-up clinic.

Late Friday, the city announced all Indigenous adults in Hamilton can receive their second dose 21 to 28 days after the first, instead of after a 16-week interval. Anyone in this group who got a first dose will be contacted in the next week for their second shot, public health said.

A new pop-up clinic was announced at the Perkins Centre at 1429 Main St. E. for Indigenous adults. The clinic will run on April 12, 14, 15 and 16. To book a first dose, Indigenous adults 18 years and older can call the city hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7.

On Friday, the province and the city shared few details on how those eligible in the second phase of Ontario's vaccine plan can get their shots.

The province announced Tuesday that individuals who have the highest-risk" health conditions would be eligible for vaccines. They include:

• organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients;

• patients with neurological diseases affecting respiratory function, including motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis;

• patients diagnosed with haematological malignancy (cancers affecting blood, bone marrow and lymph nodes) less than one year ago;

• stage 4 or 5 kidney disease patients;

• essential caregivers for the above.

Public health said Thursday the city was waiting to find out from the province how to book these patients.

Toronto and Peel began offering appointments to individuals with specific health conditions earlier this week. Public health did not respond when asked why Hamilton is still waiting for provincial direction.

There was also no further detail on how special education staff - who become eligible next week - can register. Public health did not respond when asked.

-With files from Teviah MoroMaria Iqbal's reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories focused on aging issues.