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Door-to-door vaccinations in Wasaga Beach offer increased accessibility for residents

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BARRIE, ONT -

Along with help from firefighters and bylaw officers, healthcare workers sought to administer 100 doses in Wasaga Beach.

The travelling pop-up clinic aimed at immunizing the town’s most vulnerable populations visited 13 locations offering Pfizer shots to anyone eligible.

For Wasaga Beach residents like Sandra MacDonald, a chance to get the vaccine steps from her front door is something she’s waited months for. On Wednesday, MacDonald received her first dose.

“I’ve been putting it off, but I want to be safe for my son and my daughter-in-law; they live in Brampton, and they’re coming up shortly,” said MacDonald, who was one of about a dozen people in the community to receive a shot.

The clinic, run by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre, targeted lower-income areas in town and residents facing challenges getting the shot elsewhere, including mass immunization hubs and clinics.

“This is unbelievably convenient,” said Wasaga Beach resident Ron West. “Walk down the stairs, get my shot. As opposed to going to midland next week,” he said.

According to Scott McLeod, the clinic offered a lifeline that wasn’t otherwise available for those struggling to find transportation or employment.

“A lot of places now, if you’re looking for work, they’re requiring you to have at least one shot too, so this is wonderful,” said McLeod.

The clinic, which is the third such outreach effort, offered easier access to shots in communities where the risk of infection is highest. Still, many residents continue to face employment challenges, struggles with addiction and food and housing insecurity.

“Access to the vaccine is very important for people that live with barriers in their life, so coming to them where they are at increasing the uptake of them getting the vaccine,” said organizer Heather Klein Gibbinck, executive director with the South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre.

A friendly knock on the door from Wasaga Beach firefighters offered vulnerable residents protection from the virus. Deputy Fire Chief Craig Williams said his crew has built relationships with communities who are often overlooked and therefore left in challenging positions.

“Targeting marginalized individuals as well as people who live in congregate-living settings. And we know from experience during our last outreach program that some of these individuals do not have the ability to get to the typical vaccine centres,” said Williams.

While not all residents took up the offer, John Novak considered it a god-send.

“The folks ended up in my parking lot, and I thought that’s a sign from God so I went with it and here I am and now I’m doubly-vaccinated.”

Health officials continue to encourage those who have yet to get first and second doses to reach out to the health unit or South Georgian Bay Community Health Centre to ensure full vaccination by the time September rolls around.

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