OTTAWA -- Special education teachers in Ottawa are expected to begin rolling up their sleeves this week to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Ottawa Public Health and the city of Ottawa say in line with new Ontario guidelines, vaccines will be available to special education workers. Eligible teachers will receive an email with information about when and where they will receive the COVID-19 vaccine shot.

Officials have compiled a list of special education teachers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine with the assistance of all school boards in Ottawa.

"Operations are ramping up again and we are working with school boards to vaccinate some 3,000 special education teachers next week," said Anthony Di Monte, Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services during a media briefing on Friday

The Ontario government announced last Wednesday that education workers who provide direct support to students with special education needs will be eligible to register for vaccination.

The city says special education teachers will be contacted directly for vaccines.  The date, time and location of the COVID-19 vaccine appointment will be provided by email to eligible staff.

HOMEBOUND HEALTH CARE RECIPIENTS

Ottawa Public Health is actively working with health partners to support in-home vaccination of homebound health care recipients.

Eligible recipients will be contacted to book an in-home vaccination.

"We're also working to reach homebound residents, who are receiving chronic home health care," said Di Monte. "Together with our partners, we will be bringing vaccinations to residents who are unable to leave their homes."

The city says details on vaccinations for other high-priority groups will be announced as plans are finalized and vaccine doses are received from the province.

FAMILY HEALTH TEAMS RECEIVE COVID-19 VACCINE

Ottawa Public Health and the city are also delivering 11,200 AstraZeneca doses to 12 community health centres and family health teams.

"These partners will need some time to ramp up to start delivering these doses, but they will be a key player in our effort to make vaccine more accessible to everyone going forward," said Di Monte.

COMMUNITY VACCINATION CLINICS ARE BOOKED

The city of Ottawa said Saturday evening that appointments to receive the COVID-19 at a community clinic are "temporarily fully booked."

Di Monte told reporters on Friday that over 80,000 appointments were booked until April 30. As of 1 p.m. Friday, there were just 5,000 appointments for eligible Ottawa residents to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Adults 60 years of age and older, and adults 50 years of age and older in "hot spot" postal codes K1T, K1V and K2V are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at community clinics.

The city says more appointments at community clinics will be added to Ontario's online booking system when more vaccines are available.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE

According to Ottawa Public Health, here is a list of who is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in Ottawa:

  • Adults 60 years of age and older: Community clinics and pop-up clinics in high-risk communities
  • Adults 50 years of age and older: Community clinics if they live in hot spots including postal codes K1T, K1V and K2V
  • Adults 55 years of age or older: AstraZeneca vaccine in select pharmacies
  • Staff, caregivers and residents in retirement homes and long-term care homes
  • Priority health care workers identified by the Ministry of Health
  • Non-front-line moderate priority health care workers
  • Faith Leaders
  • Adults in First Nations, Metis and Inuit populations
  • Residents staying in Ottawa shelters
  • Special Education teachers