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COVID-19 Vaccine Bulletin - May 20, 2021

Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine is Quick and Easy

Anyone 12 years of age and older is eligible to attend a mass-immunization clinic offered through the Porcupine Health Unit for their FIRST dose.

Book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment online, or by calling 705-360-4819 (Timmins) or 1-800-461-1818.

Some primary healthcare providers will be starting to offer mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and will be reaching out to their clients to schedule a vaccine appointment.

News Highlights

COVID-19 Vaccine Numbers

  • Vaccine doses given at PHU mass immunization clinics: 41,981.
  • Number of people vaccinated with at least 1 dose of vaccine in the PHU area: 38,500.
  • 53.5% of individuals 18 years of age and older in the PHU area have received at least one dose of vaccine.

The Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for children 12 years of age and over.

Porcupine Health Unit COVID-19 Information Line

Call with any inquiries about COVID-19. If you or a loved one are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine but are experiencing barriers to accessing the vaccine clinics and need support, call the health unit.
Timmins: 705-360-4819 Toll free: 1-800-461-1818

Expanded Eligibility for COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Through PHU Clinics

On May 17, 2021, the Porcupine Health Unit (PHU) announced that all individuals 12 years of age and older are now eligible to book into upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics to receive the first dose of vaccine. Pfizer-BioNTech and/or Moderna are administered at the mass immunization clinics offered through the PHU. Individuals 12-17 years of age must book appointments in the Pfizer-BioNTech clinics. Pfizer is the only Health Canada approved vaccine for this age group.

The Pfizer-Biotech Vaccine is Safe and Effective for Youth

It is strongly recommended that everyone in Ontario 12 years of age and older receive a COVID-19 vaccine as people of any age can be infected with COVID-19 and spread the infection to others. The COVID-19 vaccine will help protect anyone who receives the vaccine as well as the community.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by Health Canada for youth as young as 12 years of age after an objective and thorough scientific review to ensure safety, effectiveness, and quality of the vaccine. There have been no serious adverse events related to the vaccine. For children that did report side effects following immunization, they were mostly mild to moderate in severity, and included things like fatigue, headaches, chills, muscle pain, fever, and joint pain. These types of reactions are considered normal following vaccination and are expected because of our body’s immune response.

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is very effective in protecting youth against COVID-19 and the potentially devastating consequences of this infection. Evidence has shown that the vaccine is 95% effective in protecting those who are 16 years of age and older, and 100% effective in protecting those 12 to 15 years of age against COVID-19 after receiving two doses.

You may attend the COVID-19 vaccine clinic appointment with your child. If you have not received your first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine you are encouraged to book an appointment too! While it is preferred that individuals between the ages of 12 and 17 discuss their plans for vaccination with their parents, teenagers can access the clinic and consent to vaccination if they are mature enough to understand the risk and benefits in order to make an informed decision.

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