With more than 163,000 arms jabbed, Southlake Regional Health Centre is poised to get out of the business of administering COVID-19 vaccinations at Newmarket's clinic.
As York Region's vaccination rates steadily increase and the number of COVID-19 patients in ICUs across the province decreases, the timing is right for the Newmarket hospital to refocus on care and gradually resuming services and surgeries that were postponed during the pandemic, according to a Southlake news release today.
Since the first dose was given to a PSW last January at the hockey arena transformed into a clinic, Southlake has managed and operated the Ray Twinney vaccination centre, with the "incredible collaboration" of the Town of Newmarket and York Region Public Health.
As of July 1, the reins will be handed over to the public health unit and town, the release states.
The clinic will continue to operate at the same location, and all existing appointments will continue as scheduled.
“Throughout the pandemic, Southlake’s vaccination steering committee and many other amazing leaders from across the organization worked with our community partners to set up an assessment centre for testing, support local long-term care homes, and open the Ray Twinney vaccination centre. I could not be more grateful to our teams and our partners now that we are finally seeing light at the end of this tunnel as case numbers come down," said Arden Krystal, president and CEO of Southlake.
"Our priority at Southlake now is to get back to resuming surgeries and refocusing on our hospital services” she said.
Countless Southlake frontline heroes answered the call to provide vaccines, many taking on extra duties to help get doses into arms. The dedication and commitment to clinical excellence of these professionals contributed to the successful rollout, Southlake said.
The format of the arena clinic, which was one of Ontario’s first mass vaccination centres, was adopted by many other communities across the country, the release states.
While there were initially concerns about lengthy lineups when the clinic first opened to the public last March for seniors aged in their 80s, the issues were quickly resolved.
“York Region Public Health greatly values the long-standing partnership with Southlake in safeguarding the health and well-being of York Region residents,” said York Region medical officer of health Dr. Karim Kurji.
“Southlake paved the way for mass immunization sites in our region and while their time as clinic host is concluding, the empathetic and high-quality care provided to the thousands of residents who walked through the doors has made a lasting impact to the overall success of our vaccine program.”
"When we look back on the pandemic in the years to come, we will see the enormous role that the Southlake team has played, not only in caring for those with COVID-19, but preventing tens of thousands from getting ill. Thank you, Southlake, for keeping us safe and building healthier communities," Newmarket Mayor John Taylor said.
