Newmarket's COVID-19 vaccination centre has temporarily closed due to reduced shipments of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, according to Southlake Regional Health Centre.
An announcement on the hospital's website says the provincial vaccination task force, in consultation with the Ministry of Health and chief medical officer of health, decided that vaccination appointments should be postponed for the next few days.
"This is being done to ensure the most vulnerable residents in long-term care and high-risk retirement homes can be vaccinated," according to the statement. "We anticipate ramping back up on Feb. 8 when shipments are expected to resume."
Southlake, in partnership with the Regional Municipality of York and Town of Newmarket, opened the COVID-19 vaccination centre at Ray Twinney Recreation Complex on Jan. 6 to inoculate hospital staff and essential workers identified as a priority in the first phase of the province's vaccine rollout plan.
More than 8,500 doses had been administered at the centre as of Jan. 19, according to a Southlake spokesperson, with the remaining 2,000 doses then allocated for second doses.
Last week, York Region Public Health stated that it had slowed its rapid rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in long-term care and retirement homes as supplies dwindled and remaining supplies had to be reserved for the second doses required to complete the inoculations.
The centre, which has yet to open to the general public, will be the hub for mass vaccinations for local residents when the doses become widely available.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
