Here's one of the London, Ont. schools set to host a vaccine clinic
CBC
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) will open schools on Monday to run after hours community vaccine clinics in neighbourhoods with low vaccination rates.
MLHU said there are 10 clinics scheduled at schools in neighbourhoods where the COVID vaccine uptake is low, adding that appointments are not necessary.
The intention is to give parents or people working multiple jobs the chance to easily get the shot, the health unit said.
First and second doses of the vaccine will be available to anyone over the age of five. Second doses will be given to those who have at least an eight week gap since getting their initial dose.
"We must continue to work to bring COVID-19's advance under control, and a key part of that effort is increasing the number of children who have received the vaccine," said acting medical officer of health, Dr. Alex Summers.
Summers said the unit is able to administer anywhere from 100-300 vaccines per day at their mobile clinic, adding that this number will adjust depending on the demand.
Summers said that the unit has been tracking vaccine coverage by neighbourhood since the start of the vaccination campaign, which has allowed them to strategically place these clinics in certain areas.
"We've seen lower vaccine uptake in the same neighbourhoods over time, it's been consistent, and we know that there's communities who face more barriers to vaccinations than others," he added.
Summer cited competing demands of multiple jobs, transportation or language barriers, and difficulties finding opportunities to visit clinics as some of the challenges residents might face.
"Our objective is to really make sure the vaccine is close to home, in neighbourhoods where clearly folks have not had as easy of a time getting vaccinated as other clinics."
School clinics will run daily from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Information on the list of locations and times can be found on MLHU's website.
P.E.I.'s Public Schools Branch is looking for 50 substitute bus drivers, and it'll be recruiting at three job fairs on Saturday, June 8. The job fairs are located at the Atlantic Superstore in Montague, Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, and the bus parking lot of Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside. All three run from 9 a.m. until noon. Dave Gillis, the director of transportation and risk management for the Public Schools Branch, said the number of substitute drivers they're hiring isn't unusual. "We are always looking for more. Our drivers tend to have an older demographic," he said.