Six Nations Vaccine Priority Matrix Approved, Vaccine Registration Now Open
Press Release
At a Special Council meeting on Friday, February 19, the Six Nations Elected Council approved the Six Nations Vaccine Priority Matrix.
The Priority Matrix, which was developed by the Six Nations Vaccine Task Force, considers the risk of severe outcomes and risk mitigation potential to determine which populations should be the priority in receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. This will ensure that our most vulnerable within the community will receive the vaccine first.
During the initial phases of the COVID-19 vaccine plan, a very limited supply of vaccine is available. Vaccinations are nearly complete for residents of the Iroquois Lodge and the Jay Silverheels Complex for those who expressed interest in being vaccinated. The next phase will include community members who are elderly (those who are 60+ years of age), first responders, front line healthcare workers, homecare health workers, and those high-risk individuals living in congregate care settings, followed by wider access to all community members. The timing of this plan will depend on vaccine availability.
To help Ohsweken Public Health and Six Nations Health Services plan for a broader distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and help to identify the amount of vaccine required for the community, a vaccine registration form is now available at www.sixnationscovid19.ca. Any community member wishing to receive the vaccine may fill out this form at any time and will be contacted as more vaccine becomes available. The vaccine is not mandatory and anyone who is wanting to be vaccinated will be vaccinated as more supply becomes available.
Since its launch on Saturday, February 20, the online vaccine registration form has already received a high volume of registrations from community members interested in being vaccinated. Six Nations Elected Council would like to thank the Six Nations Vaccine Task Force for their hard work in developing a vaccination plan for the community, and would like to thank our frontline healthcare workers who continue their work every day to protect our people from COVID-19. Six Nations Council commends the community for persevering through an incredibly difficult year to get to this point.
Community members are reminded that the community vaccine rollout is still in its very early stages and people must continue to follow public health guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. This includes wearing a mask, social distancing, washing your hands, staying home, and not interacting with anyone outside of your household. Six Nations remains in Alert Level Black.
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Media Contact:
Six Nations of the Grand River Communications Officer clickers@sixnations.ca
1695 Chiefswood Road, P.O. Box 5000, Ohsweken Ontario N0A1M0
IHT5
