School pop-up clinics target neighbourhoods where vaccination rate lagging

London, Ont. -

The Thames Valley District School Board released dates and locations for pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinics, and announced it is ending the 'quadmester' model for high school students.

The Middlesex London Health Unit (MLHU) is teaming up with local school boards to expand opportunities for COVID-19 vaccination.

The pop-up clinics will be launched inside several schools across London and Middlesex County starting next week.

“The clinics are open to anyone, but we are first sending the booking information to families of children in those schools to give them a bit of a head start,” says MLHU Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie.

Mackie explains that COVID-19 infections hit some communities and neighbourhoods in the region harder than others, and now some of those same areas are lagging behind in vaccination rates.

In general, communities where residents have more free time and access to vehicles have higher vaccination rates than those without.

Evening out vaccination rates across the region is critical to avoid the possibility of neighbourhood outbreaks of COVID-19 in the future.

The pop-up vaccination clinics will arrive at schools in 10 targeted neighbourhoods and rural communities starting June 21.

Appointments can be booked here or by calling 226-289-3560 between 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. seven days a week.

Here is the full list of clinic dates and locations:

• Monday, June 21: Sir Arthur Carty Catholic Elementary School: 1655 Ernest Avenue, London, ON N6E 2S3, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Tuesday, June 22: John Paul II Catholic Secondary School, 1300 Oxord Street East, London, ON N5V 4P7, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Wednesday, June 23: Westminster Secondary School, 230 Base Line Road West, London, ON N6J 1W1, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Thursday, June 24: Clarke Road Secondary School, 300 Clarke Road, London, ON N5W 5N4, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Friday June 25: North Middlesex District High School, 100 Parkhill Main Street, Parkhill, ON N0M 2K0, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Tuesday, June 29: Montcalm Secondary School, 1350 Highbury Avenue North, London, ON N5Y 1B5, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Wednesday, June 30: Sir Fredrick Banting Secondary School, 125 Sherwood Forest Square, London, ON N6G 2C3, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Monday, July 5: Glencoe District High School, 3581 Concession Street, Glencoe, ON N0L 1M0, 1:30pm to 6:30pm
• Tuesday, July 6: Strathroy District Collegiate Institute, 361 Second Street, Strathroy, ON, N7G 3H8, 1:30pm to 6:30pm

Second dose clinics will take place at the same schools at the 56-day interval, Aug. 16-20 and 23-27.

“It’s closer to home and hopefully it’s easier for those who have had difficulty getting down to the mass vaccination clinics,” says Mackie.

NO MORE QUADMESTER MODEL COME SEPTEMBER

Starting in September, secondary schools with the board will move to a "modified semester model" instead for both in-person and remote learning.

TVDSB Director of Education Mark Fisher said in a statement the change comes amid higher vaccination rates and in consultation with public health officials.

“The Modified Semester Model addresses student and family concerns about the pace and intensity of courses experienced in the Quadmester Model during the current school year.”

The new model will have students taking four courses over each 20-week semester, alternating two courses one week, then two other courses the next week.

The board says students will have 150 minutes of class in the morning, a lunch break, then 150 minutes of class in the afternoon. Breaks will be included in both the morning and afternoon learning blocks. A sample scheduled can be seen here.

Meanwhile the board says plans are being made for end-of-year recognition, and for students to retrieve report cards and belongings, and return devices.

Virtual graduation ceremonies are planned for Grade 8 and 12 students.

However, plans are also being made for scheduled, outdoor, in-person year-end recognitions for all grades that will also facilitate picking up belongings and returning technology.

Details will be provided directly to students by their schools.