A mass immunization clinic was held by Public Health Sudbury & Districts signaling a return to a “new normal” for local public health programs and services.
Medical officer of Health Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, says staff reviewed immunization records to identify students who are overdue for their booster dose of the vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis.
She adds they were contacted and 207 students attended the clinic where public health nurses carried out the immunizations.
Sutcliffe says they are now seizing the opportunity to ramp up essential public health services such as immunizations to avoid cases and outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases.
She says the agency will use a Sudbury school gymnasium over the summer for students to get caught up with vaccines they may have missed during the initial months of the pandemic with all immunizations are by appointment only.
If you live outside of the city area, parents can contact satellite offices.
To book an appointment, contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 or toll-free 1.866.522.9200.
We have to operate in a COVID-safe manner and so we adjusted our mass clinic processes to ensure distance, masking, and screening,” adds Annie Berthiaume, Manager in the Health Protection Division. “Holding this mass immunization clinic gave us an opportunity to “test out” our COVID-safe processes. This is important for the current catch-up work we have to do for routine immunizations, but also prepares us for the future when we anticipate a vaccine against COVID-19,” said Berthiaume.
COVID-19 has provided many challenges, and Public Health continues to adapt its practices to ensure other essential public health programs and services are available and delivered in a COVID-safe manner.