Attention Clarington Families: Eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine for youth ages 12 to 17

May 26, 2021,

The following letter has been sent to all Clarington families on behalf of Durham Health with important information about COVID-19 vaccination eligibility for youth ages 12 to 17.

Effective May 25, 2021 at 9pm, all youth 12 to 17 years of age are eligible to book an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Durham Region. Individuals must be 12 years of age at the time of the vaccine appointment in order to receive the vaccine. Identification which includes date of birth is required when attending the vaccination clinic. Currently, the Pfizer vaccine is the only vaccine approved for use in Canada for this age group.

Infection prevention protocols and public health measures have ensured COVID-19 transmission has remained low in Durham Region schools. Vaccinating all eligible youth aged 12- 17 will further reduce the risk for everyone in the school community and is essential to ending the pandemic.

Youth 12 to 17 years of age and their unimmunized family members are encouraged to book a vaccination appointment at their earliest opportunity. Appointments will be available at the Ajax, Pickering, Clarington, and Oshawa mass immunization clinics. North Durham clinic dates will be available starting on June 8 in Brock, and then rotate to Scugog and Uxbridge. A new clinic site will be introduced in Whitby that allows youth 12 to 17 years of age and their unimmunized family members to receive the Pfizer vaccine. The location of the new Whitby clinic site will be announced as soon as possible. Bookings for the new Whitby clinic open May 27 at 9pm for appointments starting June 7.

To book an appointment at any mass immunization clinic, please visit www.durhamvaccinebooking.ca or call 1-888-444-5113. For the Ontario Tech Campus Ice Centre Clinic (Oshawa) please call 905-721-4828.

Residents are reminded that once appointment bookings open, the website will experience a significant increase in traffic resulting in considerable wait-times when trying to book appointments. Residents are asked to please be patient as they keep trying to access the site.

For further information on COVID-19 vaccines, as well as available clinics, please visit www.durham.ca/covidvaccines.

Sincerely,

Robert Kyle, BSc, MD, MHSc, CCFP, FRCPC, FACPM
Commissioner & Medical Officer of Health