Residual doses for healthcare workers

Last Updated June 16, 2021 at 1:51 p.m.

The process for residual doses for healthcare workers remains in place. Healthcare workers have an opportunity for an earlier first or second dose of vaccine (if eligibility criteria are met) by indicating they are available for end of day residual vaccine doses at the West 5th vaccine clinic. If you would like to be added to this list, please contact your manager. The vaccine is not available on a walk-in basis at this time. 

Managers, please collect names of staff who wish to be added to the end of day residual vaccine dose list and submit it to Pam Pyrke (ppyrke@stjoes.ca) daily by 10:00 a.m.

More St. Joe’s healthcare workers eligible for accelerated second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine

Lat Updated June 4th, 2021 at 5:11 p.m.

Earlier today, the province announced that it will continue to offer accelerated second doses of the COVID vaccine for many Ontarians. Many St. Joe’s healthcare workers (HCW) will be part of this expansion.

As of Monday, June 7, 2021 at 8:00 a.m., individuals aged 70 and over as well as any individuals who received their first dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) on or before April 18, 2021, are able to book an accelerated second dose appointment ahead of schedule. This is made possible by an increased supply of vaccines in Ontario.

This applies to any staff member, physician or learner who received their first dose of an mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) on or before April 18, 2021.

There are two options for booking an earlier appointment:

• At a mass immunization clinic through the provincial booking system and call centre.
• Or via their local/regional public health units that use their own, separate booking system.

This change is in addition to the recent announcement to fully immunize eligible high-risk HCW sooner than the anticipated four month interval. A special registration system was created at the time for these high-risk HCW as the provincial tool did not have functionality to book a second dose appointment. The provincial tool now has this capability enabling individuals to directly book at their convenience. Therefore, no special measures are in place for HCW registration for this new phase of the accelerated schedule.

For those high-risk HCW who self-identified this week, if you don’t have an earlier appointment time booked by Monday morning, we encourage you to book your own earlier appointment using the provincial system or by phoning the Hamilton COVID Hotline. If you do not rebook your second dose appointment, the original schedule (at four-month interval) remains in place.

More information about the provincial directive about certain individuals eligible to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a shortened interval is available at: LINK

We encourage all of our healthcare workers to get vaccinated. If you have not yet registered for your first dose, you can do so through the Ontario booking portal at: LINK

If you have questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine, please look here for answers to questions and opportunity to book a confidential vaccine conversation with a physician: LINK

Update on rescheduling shortened interval for second vaccine doses for high-risk healthcare workers

Last Updated June 3rd, 2021 at 5 p.m.

We have received approximately 250 names of high-risk healthcare workers at St Joe’s that are eligible for an expedited second vaccine dose. We are working through this list to contact individuals in a timely manner. We ask everyone to please be patient in this process as it will take some time to reach everyone.

New process for booking earlier second vaccine dose for eligible hospital HCWs

Last Updated May 27th, 2021 at 12:25 p.m.

For those eligible trying to reach the COVID Hotline to re-book their vaccine appointments, particularly those who have been redeployed to critical care or other COVID areas/units, we are aware that many have experienced issues because of high call volumes. We understand and apologize for the stress and concern this has caused and have put measures in place to rectify this situation.

We recently implemented a process for eligible high-risk healthcare workers (HCW) to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine sooner following a provincial directive to that effect. The majority of them have had their second dose appointment moved up.

In collaboration with Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS), St Joe’s has created a new process to identify eligible staff and book them for a second dose appointment as quickly as possible. This new process is aimed at eligible redeployed HCW who have had issues getting through on the COVID Hotline phone booking system. However, eligible HCW who are not redeployed currently can access this process if they have also experienced difficulties with the phone system.

How the new process works

1. Eligible individuals (those who determine they meet the criteria below) who have not been informed of a rescheduled second dose appointment, should notify their manager or director before May 31, 2021, to let them know and provide their contact information (name and phone number). We are asking individuals to self-identify to ensure we don’t miss anyone that is eligible.
2. Managers will compile a list of eligible HCWs and send to their director
3. Directors will collate the lists of names and phone numbers which will be provided to vaccine clinic officials.
4. Eligible HCWs will be contacted directly between June 1 and June 4 to schedule a second dose appointment. They will NOT have to call the COVID Hotline themselves.

Who this applies to

The new process applies to staff, learners and physicians who feel they are eligible for a shortened second dose interval AND who have not yet received notification of a new second dose appointment.

NOTE: eligible HCW include those in frontline roles caring for COVID-19 patients, individuals with a high-risk of exposure to COVID-19, and those performing aerosol-generating procedures:

• Critical Care Units/ICUs
• Emergency Departments
• COVID-19 Medical Units
• Code Blue Teams, rapid response teams
• General internal medicine and other specialists involved in the direct care of COVID-19 positive patients
• COVID-19 Laboratory Services (HRMLP virology lab)
• COVID-19 Specimen Collection Centers (e.g., Assessment centers)
• Teams supporting outbreak response (e.g., IPAC teams supporting outbreak management, employee health specialists, inspectors in the patient environment, redeployed health care workers supporting outbreaks or staffing crisis in congregate living settings)
• COVID-19 vaccine clinics and mobile immunization teams.

More information about the provincial directive that high-risk health care workers are eligible to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a shortened interval is available at: LINK

We encourage all of our healthcare workers to get vaccinated. If you have not yet registered for your first dose, you can do so through the Ontario booking portal at: LINK

If you have questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine, please look here for answers to questions and opportunity to book a confidential vaccine conversation with a physician: LINK

High volume of calls for healthcare worker COVID-19 vaccine second dose

Last Updated May 21st, 2021 at 3 p.m.

We are experiencing a high call volume from healthcare workers inquiring about their eligibility to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval OR to rebook their new appointment time.

Our Digital Solutions team has resolved capacity and associated call quality issues, but there is still an incredibly high call volume, resulting in lengthy wait times and/or busy signals.

Please note that every eligible HCW’s second dose appointment was moved up systematically.

We ask that only those who received a notification and are calling with an urgent need to reschedule their new appointment call the COVID Hotline at this time.

If you did not receive a notification and would like to inquire about your eligibility, please wait until next week to call. The list of eligible healthcare workers can be found here: LINK

A reminder for those who meet the government criteria:

• We ask that you please try to keep this new appointment time.
• Once you receive a notification with the new date/time, if you have questions or need to change the date to a later date, please call the City of Hamilton Public Health COVID Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7, then option 1.
• Those eligible individuals who did not provide contact information or did not receive a notification, please wait until Monday, May 24 to call the COVID Hotline (open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
• Please note that all rescheduled vaccination dates under this change will take place at the First Ontario Centre Clinic, 101 York Boulevard, Hamilton.

We encourage all of our healthcare workers to get vaccinated. If you have not yet registered for your first dose, you can do so through the Ontario booking portal at: LINK

If you have questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine, please look here for answers to questions and opportunity to book a confidential vaccine conversation with a physician: LINK

Earlier COVID-19 Vaccine Second Dose for high-risk healthcare workers

Last Updated May 18th, 2021 at 11:55 a.m.

On May 10, the province announced that high-risk healthcare workers were added to the list of those eligible to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval. The government’s announcement and list of eligible healthcare workers can be found here: LINK

As a result, all community and hospital healthcare workers who meet the provincial eligibility for high-risk will receive notification via email and/or text message with a new appointment date by the end of day Thursday May 20. The notification process will begin on Wednesday, May 19.

This measure currently applies to all hospital and acute care staff in front-line roles with COVID-19 patients and/or with a high-risk of exposure to COVID-19, including nurses and personal support workers and those performing aerosol-generating procedures. This includes: 

• Critical Care Units
• Emergency Departments
• COVID-19 Medical Units
• Code Blue Teams, rapid response teams
• General internal medicine and other specialists involved in the direct care of COVID-19 positive patients
• COVID-19 Laboratory Services (HRMLP virology lab)
• COVID-19 Specimen Collection Centres (e.g., Assessment centres)
• Teams supporting outbreak response (e.g., IPAC teams supporting outbreak management, employee health specialists, inspectors in the patient environment, redeployed healthcare workers supporting outbreaks or staffing crisis in congregate living settings)
• COVID-19 vaccine clinics and mobile immunization teams

For those who meet the government criteria:

• We ask that you please try to keep this new appointment time.
• Once you receive the new date/time, if you have questions or need to change the date to a later date, please call this number the City of Hamilton Public Health COVID hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7, then option 1.
• Those eligible individuals who did not provide contact information or did not receive notification by end of day on Thursday, May 20, can call, starting Friday, May 21, the Public Health COVID hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7, then option 1 to schedule an appointment to receive their second dose sooner than the four-month interval.
• Please note that all rescheduled vaccination dates under this change will take place at the First Ontario Centre Clinic, 101 York Boulevard, Hamilton.

We encourage all of our healthcare workers to get vaccinated. If you have not yet registered for your first dose, you can do so through the Ontario booking portal at: LINK

If you have questions about the COVID-19 Vaccine, please look here for answers to questions and opportunity to book a confidential vaccine conversation with a physician: LINK

High-Risk Health Care Workers Eligible to Receive a Second Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine at a Shortened Interval

Last Updated May 10th, 2021 at 5:35 p.m.

Today, the Ontario government announced that high-risk health care workers will be added to the list of those eligible to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval.

The announcement indicated that those eligible for the shortened second-dose interval include all patient-facing health care workers involved in the COVID-19 response.

This is good news, and St. Joe’s will be seeking more information from the province about how this will be implemented, and working together with Hamilton Health Sciences and Public Health on operationalizing it. We will provide more information when it becomes available.

Changes to COVID-19 vaccine sign-up for healthcare workers

Last Updated May 5th, 2021 at 10:18 a.m.

Effective Thursday, May 6, those healthcare workers who are registering for a COVID-19 vaccine for the first time will be booking directly through the Ministry of Health portal. The healthcare worker portal will no longer be used. This is a new single registration that will include booking an appointment.

What this means for those who have previously registered through the Healthcare Portal:

If you have already registered via the Hamilton Vaccine Signup/Registration portal, you will be able to use your personal email link to book your appointment until the end of today (May 5, 2021). Starting tomorrow (May 6), you will need to book through the provincial site directly by completing an attestation stating you are a healthcare worker (and therefore in an eligible group).

What this means for those booking a new appointment

As of May 6th, all eligible populations can book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the provincial online vaccine booking system. This includes hospital healthcare workers.

NOTE: You will need a Green Ontario photo health card and will be asked for an email address and/or phone number.

For those who do not have access to the internet or a computer, or do not have a valid Green Ontario photo health card, please call the Public Health Services COVID-19 Hotline at 905-974-9848, option 7 to book an appointment. Due to potential call volumes expected at the call centre, the City of Hamilton encourages everyone to self-register online if able to so, it's the quickest process to get an appointment. The hotline is trying to focus on those without health cards and those without computer access. These are all by-appointment only clinics, walk-ins are not permitted.

Update on vaccines for Healthcare Workers

Last Updated March 19th, 2021 at 8:46 p.m.

On March 17, we communicated that hospital healthcare workers who had not been scheduled yet for a first vaccine, should re-register under the hospital healthcare worker portal, adding in their health card number (LINK). Those have not yet done so can do so HERE.

Once that step is completed, the information will be shared with the provincial system to enable self-booking appointments. With that, scheduling of first dose appointments for the next group of hospital healthcare workers will begin next week in Hamilton.

What’s new
Significant progress is being made across Ontario, including in immunizing HCW. At Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joe’s, 90 per cent of patient-facing hospital HCW from the “highest”, “very high” or “high” sequencing group who have signed up for vaccination have received a first dose.

For example:

• 20,000 doses of the vaccine have been given to healthcare workers from the city’s two hospital systems.
• Approximately 6,400 have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

For that reason, in accordance with provincial guidelines, we are now moving to make vaccination available to hospital HCW in the “moderate” (or non-patient facing) sequencing group.

NOTE: this move does NOT lessen the availability of vaccine to other Ontarians who are currently eligible for vaccination under the provincial framework. This is a prudent step towards ensuring the safe, uninterrupted operation of both hospitals throughout the rest of the pandemic. Similar steps have been taken to assure the function of long-term care facilities and retirement homes.

What this means for hospital HCW

• First, anyone who had registered for vaccination on the St. Joe’s/HHS online tool and did not provide a health card number, have to register again.
• All HHS and St. Joe’s hospital HCWs still waiting for a first dose, have received (or will receive) a message from the provincial portal on how to self-book a vaccination appointment if they have re-registered with their Health Card Number.
• This will begin on Sunday, March 21, for those in the “moderate” group.
• As part of the self-booking process, healthcare workers can select the HHS vaccination clinic for their appointment (this option will be available starting Monday, March 22).
• Hospital HCWs who have not yet signed up to be vaccinated, can register online HERE.

We encourage all HCW to register and receive the vaccine to help curtail outbreaks at our sites. The vaccine is one method of dealing with outbreaks along with strong PPE and infection prevention and control measures.

We ask everyone to remain vigilant in protecting themselves and others by wearing a mask, remembering proper hand hygiene and practicing physical distancing.

Important vaccination process update

Last Updated March 17th, 2021 at 2:01 p.m.

What’s new

The vaccine appointment booking system is changing for healthcare workers (HCW) who have not yet been scheduled for a first dose, including those from the city’s two hospital systems. Hospital HCW not yet scheduled to be vaccinated will now have to re-enter their information, including their health card number (HCN) into the vaccine sign up tool. If this step is completed, HCWs will be emailed a link and instructions in the coming weeks, to book a vaccine appointment into the new provincial booking tool.

Who this applies to:

This requirement applies to every HCW who has registered for vaccination on the SJHH/HHS online tool and is not yet scheduled for their first dose.

What hospital HCW need to do:

Anyone in a category described above, MUST:

• Go to stjoes.ca/HCWCovidVaccine , and re-enter their registration, now including their HCN.
• Please do this as soon as possible

What this means for HCW:

• A text message will be sent by the SJHH/HHS online registration system/vaccination clinic, confirming this process and reminding HCW still waiting for their first dose, to register again.
• Once you have added your HCN, you will have to remain vigilant and look for an email/message from the provincial system in the coming weeks.
• It is critical to this process that valid email addresses are entered as this is how you will receive information about self-scheduling through the provincial system.
• Once you receive that message, you will be able to log in and book your own appointment.
• Hospital HCW will continue to be scheduled and receive vaccinations, according to the sequencing determine by the province.

Please note: If you have not yet registered for vaccine, please do so here stjoes.ca/HCWCovidVaccine.

Extending the interval for COVID-19 vaccine doses to 16 weeks

Last Updated March 16th, 2021 at 9:26 a.m.

We are providing more information in response to Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health’s determination that the COVID-19 vaccine dosing interval should follow revised recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).  

As a result, the interval between the first and second dose has been extended to 16 weeks for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which is the product being provided to hospital healthcare workers (HCW). The interval between first and second doses has also been extended to 16 weeks for the Moderna vaccine.

The intent of this provincial decision is to accelerate first dose vaccination for Ontarians and to protect large segments of the population sooner, to prevent hundreds of deaths across the province, and to prevent severe illness which, in turn, will help reduce pressures on hospitals, their staff and physicians.

Although we understand the concerns of some among our workforce, protecting more Ontarians sooner will benefit everyone by lessening the impact of COVID on our hospital and community. We realize this message is not an easy one for staff, physicians, residents and learners to receive. 

The current vaccination initiative against COVID-19 is a provincial program and all vaccines are being administered on behalf of the Ministry of Health (MOH). 

• Joe’s has NO latitude in deviating from these directives and we are not authorized to provide second doses to HCW sooner than the interval prescribed by the province. 
• Timing of the second dose will continue to be dependent on provincial decisions and global supply of vaccines.
• We will continue our efforts to ensure anyone who wants to receive a vaccination is able to get one in accordance with Ministry directives.

Again, we are aware that the delay is causing concerns, and leaders will listen to you and help to explain the process. We share the disappointment and we will continue to work with all levels of governments to ensure the quickest possible full immunization of HCW. 

COVID-19 vaccine documentation for OHS

Last Updated March 10th, 2021 at 4:51 p.m.

The COVID-19 vaccine roll-out to Healthcare Workers (HCWs) is a very positive and exciting development.

As we progress with the vaccination, we are requesting that all St. Joe’s HCWs who have received any COVID-19 vaccine (1^st and/or 2^nd dose), voluntarily send a copy of their Vaccination Record to the Employee Health, Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Office.

Please send your Vaccination Record to OHS:

• By email to CovidvaccineOHS@stjoes.ca 
• Fax to 905-521-6111
• By inter-hospital mail to OHS, Charlton Campus, Martha Wing, Level 4, Rm H401

All HCW medical documentation in OHS is maintained in strict confidence. The vaccination record will be used for outbreaks, and case and contact management.