The COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Newmarket Community Centre is closing permanently as of Monday, Feb. 28.
York Region is ramping down mass vaccination clinics across the region as demand drops.
To date, 569,281 COVID-19 booster doses have been administered in York Region, which represents 47.3 per cent of all York Region residents, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.
To match the needs and demand of the community, the region has begun moving through a four-stage transition plan, which will last from now until late March, he said.
The plan includes adjustments to clinic capacity, hours of operation, staggered closing of mass vaccination sites, opening of smaller clinic sites and expansion of the mobile outreach strategy to reach residents who have not yet been vaccinated or received their booster.
The clinic at Georgina Ice Palace will reduce operating hours to four days a week, accepting appointments and walk-ins from Thursday to Sunday, effective Feb. 28.
Late February will see the move to phase two, which includes closing the Newmarket community centre clinic — however, the Southlake Community Ontario Health Team clinic at Ray Twinney Recreation Complex will remain open for appointments —reducing hours at the Georgina clinic, and having four to five fixed clinics per day and one mobile team.
By the end of March, the last phase, the public health unit will transition from emergency to normal operations, offering four fixed clinics per day, and two mobile teams in York Region.
For now, doses will continue to be administered at all other mass vaccination and community clinics seven days per week with hours and updates posted on York Region's website. There are also some pop-up clinics happening in the coming days.
