UPDATE: WC vaccination clinic fully booked

UPDATE 12:06 p.m. – The West Carleton three-day COVID-19 vaccination clinic scheduled April 1 to April 3 is now fully booked.

“We received word earlier this morning the West Carleton pop-up clinic for all three days is fully booked up and no more appointments can be done,” Coun. Eli El-Chantiry’s assistant Kelly Pohl told West Carleton Online today (March 30).

West Carleton Online was tipped off to the clinic’s capacity booking when a subscriber shared here unlucky experience finding out the clinic was full earlier this morning.

The Dunrobin resident told us she found out the queue was filled the hard way.

“The telephone booking system let me join the queue at number 49 around 8:15 a.m.” she told us. “With excitement I waited on hold as my queue position decreased. After an hour I was Number 2, great anticipation. But no, when an operator took my call it was to tell me “there are no more appointments available at this location – try again next week.” 

At this time there is no word when another pop-up vaccination clinic will come to West Carleton.

The pop-up clinics in Osgoode and Richmond are also fully booked. There is still some appointment availability at these other rural pop-up clinics:

• Cumberland (RJ Kennedy Centre) – availability on April 1, 2 and 3
• Greely – availability on April 6
• Navan – availability on April 4, 5 and 6

Eligible rural residents should call 613-691-5505 (choose option 2 for designated rural communities) to book a vaccination appointment at one of the remaining locations listed above. Eligible rural residents include age 70 and up and adults who receive chronic home care.

Community clinic appointments through the provincial booking system (for vaccination at Nepean Sportsplex, Ottawa City Hall, Eva James Community Centre and Ruddy Family YMCA) are temporarily fully booked as well. The provincial extension of the vaccine appointments on March 29 to residents aged 70 and older citywide has resulted in the booking of all appointments available up until April 7.

“In the coming days, as the city receives more vaccines from the province and the provincial booking system is updated, more appointments will become available,” El-Chantiry released in a statement today (March 30). “Residents will continue to receive vaccinations as planned. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming days.”

KINBURN – The City of Ottawa has picked a day that doesn’t get a lot of credibility, but a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic is coming to West Carleton Thursday, April 1. No joke.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) and city staff will operate a COVID-19 pop-up clinic in the parking lot of the West Carleton Community Complex From April 1 to April 3.

“If you are age 75 or over (born in or before 1946) or an adult recipient of chronic home care, and you live in a rural community, you will be able to book your appointment at a pop-up clinic starting today (March 22),” city staff released in a statement. “If you live in Ward 5 (West Carleton-March), Ward 19 (Cumberland), Ward 20 (Osgoode), or Ward 21 (Rideau-Goulbourn), call 613-691-5505 to confirm your eligibility and book an appointment.”

The rural pop-up clinic schedule is as follows: 

• Thursday, April 1, West Carleton Community Complex
• Friday, April 2 (Good Friday) West Carleton Community Complex
• Saturday, April 3, West Carleton Community Complex

“Service providers can take your call between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday,” staff said. “We know there is a high demand for these vaccines, so we expect very high call volumes. When calling in to the booking line, callers will be put into a queue where there is the potential for long wait times. You may also select an option for a call back.”

Walk-ins will not be accepted.

“This includes walk-ins at the end of the day, staff said. “Any remaining doses at the end of the day will be administered to eligible health care workers who have indicated they are available for a last-minute appointment.”

To confirm your eligibility visit Ottawa Public Health’s  COVID-19 vaccine eligibility screening tool. If you are unable to book an appointment when your eligibility is first announced, you can still receive the vaccine at a later date.

“Residents of all ages who are not yet eligible for the vaccine are encouraged to follow announcements on the City of Ottawa and OPH websites and social media channels, and from your local news media to learn when they can receive their vaccine,” staff said. “They can also sign up for the COVID-19 vaccination update e-subscription for regular news on the vaccine roll-out.”

Refer to Ontario’s vaccine distribution plan for details on other priority groups within Phase 1 of the plan. The provincial government will make vaccines available to additional groups in Phase 2 between April and July, including individuals with health conditions and people between the ages of 60 and 74. Vaccinations are expected to start for the oldest age group and decrease in five-year increments as vaccine supplies are available.

On Friday, Nov. 27, 2020 OPH and the City of Ottawa hosted a mobile flu clinic, at the time, Coun. Eli El-Chantiry said could be used as a model for running a mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

“This isn’t just about the flu shot,” El-Chantiry told West Carleton Online at the time. “We’re taking notes about how its going. We’ll report back to (City of Ottawa Emergency and Protective Services general manager Anthony) Di Monte. We want to use this opportunity with the flu vaccine, review it and go from there.”

Other rural clinics will also be available between March 29 and April 6.

The rural pop-up clinic schedule is as follows:  

Monday, March 29

Richmond Memorial Arena and Community Centre

Osgoode Community Centre

Tuesday, March 30  

Richmond Memorial Arena and Community Centre

Osgoode Community Centre

Wednesday, March 31  

Richmond Memorial Arena and Community Centre

Osgoode Community Centre

Thursday, April 1  

West Carleton Community Complex

R.J. Kennedy Memorial Community Centre

Friday, April 2 (Good Friday)

West Carleton Community Complex

R.J. Kennedy Memorial Community Centre

Saturday, April 3    

West Carleton Community Complex

R.J. Kennedy Memorial Community Centre

Sunday, April 4 (Easter)

Navan Memorial Centre

Greely Community Centre

Monday, April 5 (Easter Monday)

Navan Memorial Centre

Greely Community Centre

Tuesday, April 6

Navan Memorial Centre

Greely Community Centre

Visit ottawa.ca or OttawaPublicHealth.ca  for more information on Ottawa’s vaccination distribution plan.