OTTAWA -- The City of Ottawa is asking residents to only call the booking line for COVID-19 vaccines if they are eligible to receive a shot.
The city opened up vaccination appointments to residents 90 or older anywhere in Ottawa on Wednesday. By 9:30 a.m., the city said its phone lines were all but jammed.
"The phone line for eligible residents to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments is experiencing a significant call volume at this time," the city said in a public service announcement.
The city is urging residents to first check COVID-19 Vaccine Eligibility Screening Tool online before calling the appointment booking number, 613-691-5505.
"Please do not call 3-1-1 or the general Ottawa Public Health phone line, as appointments cannot be booked on these lines," the city also urged.
When calling into the booking line, callers will be put into a queue. The city says long wait times are possible.
On Tuesday, Emergency and Protective Services General Manager Anthony Di Monte said he estimated about 6,000 people 90 and older would be eligible to book vaccine appointments as of Wednesday.
He admitted that the call centre is not the most efficient method, but it's what the city was able to do before the provincial booking system comes online.
"We are doing this manually. We're kind of pushing the envelope. We know it's a little clunky and it's not the best model because the provincial system isn't yet up and running but we didn't want to wait," he said. "These are important residents of our community that need to get vaccinated and we have the capacity."
People 90 and older will have their vaccines administered at a community clinic at the Nepean Sportsplex. Di Monte said that once the provincial booking system is online—the target date is March 15—the city will make new announcements and will likely open additional clinics.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Di Monte said the spike in demand on the first day was anticipated but there's not much more the city can do until the provincial system is active.
"We're maxed out. We have all the tools that we need and the staff there," he said. "We're getting a lot of people still calling that aren't in the eligibility category and what that does is tie up the line for people eligible at this time."
He stressed that everyone who is eligible to receive a vaccine will get an appointment but he urged callers to be patient.
In addition to residents 90 or older, people 80 or older and adult recipients of chronic home care can also call the number to book appointments if they live in one of 21 neighbourhoods identified as high-priority by Ottawa Public Health.
- Emerald Woods
- Heatherington
- Ledbury
- Heron Gate
- Ridgemont
- Riverview
- Sawmill Creek
- Bayshore-Belltown
- Carson Groves-Carson Meadows
- Greenboro East
- Hawthorne Meadows
- Hunt Club East – Western Community
- Hunt Club Park
- Lowertown
- Manor Park
- Overbrook-McArthur
- Parkwood Hills
- Sheffield Glen
- Stewart Farm
- Vanier North
- Vanier South
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Tens of thousands of patient- and public-facing workers in a number of health-care sectors in Ottawa are also eligible to pre-register for vaccine appointments on Ottawa Public Health's website. These employees will be automatically entered into the provincial system when it launches.
Di Monte said that workers who can pre-register should not call the booking phone number but should instead visit OPH's website.
The city says the "very high priority" category is broad and includes tens of thousands of health-care workers and many other public-facing employees in Ottawa in the following settings and roles:
- Birth centres
- Community-based specialists
- Death investigation professionals
- Dentistry
- Gynecology/obstetrics, midwifery
- Nurse practitioner led clinics/contract nursing agencies
- Otolaryngology (ear, nose, throat)
- Pharmacies
- Primary care
- Respirology (respiratory therapy)
- Walk-in clinics
