The local public health unit has begun to accept preregistration for Phase 2 of the province’s vaccination plan, which includes those over 60 years of age, teachers, people with certain health conditions and many others.
Ontario’s plan calls for Phase 2 to begin in April, but Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health began the preregistration process with a web portal on Wednesday. The registration process takes a few minutes and asks for some personal information and a health card number.
Adults age 60 to 79 can now preregister for Phase 2, as can congregate settings staff and residents, primary caregivers for residents of congregate settings, those who have certain health conditions and their primary caregivers, as well as workers who cannot work from home, including teachers, manufacturing labourers, food manufacturing workers, farm workers, retail workers and court and justice system workers, among others.
Eligible health conditions include organ transplant recipients, people with kidney disease, obese people with a BMI over 40, people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, among others.
A full list of those eligible can be found on the preregistration page on WDG Public Health’s web site.
WDG Public Health said it may take four to six weeks to receive an appointment for those registering for Phase 2. Eligible groups from Phase 1, including those aged 80 and up, are still able to receive an appointment with immediate eligibility.
Those who receive appointments will be contacted by phone. WDG Public Health included an option for people interested in receiving a vaccine on short notice if there is supply at the end of a day.
A vaccine registration and booking help line is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday at 1-844-780-0202. The Guelph Public Library and Wellington County Library are also available to offer assistance with registration.