Rideau-Rockcliffe Family Medicine

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Please do not call our office regarding the COVID vaccine. We need to keep our phone lines free for patients with immediate medical needs. Your best resource is the Ottawa Public Health website (link below). 

*** New: COVID VACCINE CLINICS

*** As of May 3rd, we are excited to participate in the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Ottawa!  We strongly recommend this vaccine, which is highly effective in preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19. We will be holding COVID vaccine clinics on Saturdays in May. Patients who are eligible will receive an email with booking instructions! More info: https://www.rrfm.ca/covid-vaccine-clinics/

We recommend taking the first vaccine offered to you.

Here is the latest update on the COVID vaccine!

NEW LOWER AGE LIMIT:

*** Beginning May 6th, all Ottawa residents age 50 and over (born in or before 1961) can begin booking appointments to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at community clinics. 

Visit Ontario.ca/bookvaccine to access the provincial booking system or call the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900 between 8 am and 8 pm, seven days a week. Only book or call if you are eligible.   

HOT SPOTS:

*** As of May 4th, the Province has lowered the age limit for individuals living in one of the three provincially defined “hot spots” that have postal codes beginning with K1T, K1V or K2V. Residents 18 and over (born in or before 2003) living in one of these areas, can visit Ontario.ca/bookvaccine to book an appointment at one of the City’s community clinics starting today. 

*** COMING SOON – Ottawa Public Health is implementing new approaches for pop-up clinics in high-risk communities. In the weeks to come, adults 18 years of age and older who live in these areas will be eligible for a vaccine in these areas. They will be notified of clinic and registration options through a targeted approach.

• Ledbury-Heron Gate-Ridgemont
• Emerald Woods – Sawmill Creek
• Hunt Club East-Western Community
• Greenboro East
• Bayshore-Belltown
• Britannia Village
• Carleton Heights – Rideauview
• Carlington
• Carson Groves-Carson Meadows
• Hawthorne Meadows – Sheffield Glen
• Hunt Club Park
• Lowertown (Lowertown East)
• Manor Park
• Overbrook-McArthur
• Parkwood Hills – Stewart Farm
• Ridgemont  
• Sandy Hill  
• Vanier North
• Vanier South
• West Centretown
• Whitehaven – Queensway Terrace North
• https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/covid-19-vaccine.aspx#Pop-up-clinics-in-high-risk-communities

CHILD CARE WORKERS:

*** Effective April 29th, child care workers in licensed child care settings will be eligible to book an appointment through the provincial booking line at 1-833-943-3900. Eligible workers in licensed child care settings will receive a letter from their employer. This letter must be available at the point of booking and taken to the vaccination appointment. In the coming weeks, eligibility will be expanded to child care workers in unlicensed child care settings across the province.

OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS:

PREGNANT PATIENTS:

*** Beginning April 26th, pregnant individuals will be able to pre-register for a vaccine appointment. These individuals, as well as others previously identified as people with the highest risk health conditions, and one of their caregivers, can visit Ottawa Public Health to pre-register. 

The Province of Ontario now lists pregnant individuals as part of the highest risk health priority group. Individuals who are pregnant are advised to have a discussion with their health care provider prior to getting vaccinated. A letter from a physician is not required for vaccination. The second dose interval for this group will remain at 16 weeks.

A pregnant individual may have someone who supports them be vaccinated. This would apply when the pregnant individual needs regular and sustained help with personal care or to help them with their normal daily activities.

PHARMACIES OFFERING ASTRA ZENECA VACCINE:

*** As of April 20th: Anyone aged 40 and over will be able to receive the Astra Zeneca vaccine at select Ottawa pharmacies. Some family physician offices are offering this vaccine as well… we will let you know if and when we are eligible to distribute it to our patients!

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/vaccine-locations

ONLINE booking for VACCINE: 

https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/

HIGHEST RISK HEALTH CONDITIONS:

*** As of April 13th: Ontario opened pre-registration to individuals with highest risk health conditions and their caregivers. These individuals can visit Ottawa Public Health to pre-register. 

Those individuals with highest risk health conditions and their caregivers include: 

• Organ transplant recipients
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
• People with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis)
• Haematological malignancy diagnosed less than one year ago
• Kidney disease eGFR< 30

WEBSITE to check your COVID VACCINE eligibility in Ottawa:

https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-topics/covid-19-vaccine.aspx

Information on vaccines:

• Understanding the blood clot issue behind the AstraZeneca vaccine and its safety: www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/2021/04/17/understanding-the-blood-clot-issue
• Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology recommendations for COVID vaccination in pregnant patients: sogc.org/common/Uploaded%20files/Latest%20News/SOGC_Statement_COVID-19_Vaccination_in_Pregnancy.pdf
• Answers to vaccine questions for patients over 80: https://www.ontariofamilyphysicians.ca/tools-resources/covid-19-resources/covid-19-vaccines/covid-vax-80plus-qa.pdf 
• Short patient education videos developed by healthcare workers https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUKIRxHVLkEUm727UtibHSg
• Ontario Ministry of Health vaccine information https://covid-19.ontario.ca/getting-covid-19-vaccine-ontario#phase-1