News Archive
SubscribeGO-VAXX Bus Mobile Vaccine Clinic Set to Make A Stop in London On Saturday
In order to increase opportunities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and support uptake in communities that cannot access mass vaccination clinics as easily, the Province of Ontario’s GO-VAXX bus mobile clinic will make a stop in London’s Pond Mills neighbourhood on Saturday, December 11th.
Whole Genome Sequencing of COVID-19 Sample Confirms Presence of Omicron Variant in London
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) was notified this afternoon of the whole genome sequencing (WGS) results of a sample from an individual who is part of the large cluster of COVID-19 cases announced yesterday. The sequencing was completed at the Ontario Public Health Laboratory and confirms that the newly identified Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is present in London and Middlesex County.
Health Unit Advises That Omicron Variant is Very Likely Associated with Cluster of COVID-19 Cases…
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is investigating a cluster of COVID-19 cases and says there is the strong probability that the Omicron variant of the virus is involved. The Health Unit is making the statement after being advised last evening of two COVID-19 cases who screened positive for S gene target failure (SGTF) which is a marker for the Omicron variant. These two individuals are amongst a cluster of cases linked to travellers who arrived in London from Nigeria in late November.
Health Unit Advises Megabus Travellers To Monitor for COVID-19 Symptoms
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is advising anyone who travelled on a Megabus from London to Toronto on Sunday, November 28th and/or travelled from Toronto to Niagara Falls on Monday, November 29th, to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms. The notification comes after the MLHU was advised on Monday that an individual who was a Megabus passenger on two separate occasions has tested positive for COVID-19. This individual travelled during their period of communicability, and the Health Unit is unable to determine which passengers were seated within two metres, or six feet, of them.
Health Unit Steps Up Mass Vaccination Effort with Holiday Pop-Up Clinic at CF Masonville Place
As part of its effort to make the COVID-19 vaccine available more widely, the Middlesex-London Health Unit is partnering with CF Masonville Place once again to hold a walk-in pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic all through the month of December. The clinic will provide families with an opportunity to roll up their sleeves and get protected against COVID-19 as they do their holiday shopping. The clinic will open Wednesday, December 1st at 12:00 noon and will run until Friday, December 31st, 2021.
Health Unit’s COVID-19 Dashboard to Shift to Monday To Friday Updates Starting in December
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) will be changing the frequency of its online COVID-19 Dashboard beginning on December 1st. While the dashboard is currently updated daily, it will shift to a Monday to Friday schedule; except where statutory holidays fall mid-week. This weekend, November 27th and 28th, will be the final weekend that the Health Unit reports updated COVID-19 case data on Saturday and Sunday.
Celebrate the Holiday Season Safely
Please limit your contacts as much as possible. We are at a critical time. COVID-19 cases are rising across Ontario and the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly and widely in our community. The holidays are a time when gatherings and celebrations bring people together indoors and this could potentially increase the spread of COVID-19 even further. To control COVID-19 cases and the impact on our health care system, we need to increase vaccination rates and limit our indoor gatherings.
Health Unit Announces 90% of Local Residents Aged 12 and Up Have Received the COVID-19 Vaccine
The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) announced today that 90 percent of the region’s population born in 2009 or earlier has now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In just under one year, a total of 809,166 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in London and Middlesex County; as of the end of Saturday, November 20th, 87.2 percent of the population had received two doses of the vaccine. The 90% achievement is included in the vaccination coverage update that is part of today’s COVID-19 dashboard on the MLHU website.
Vaccination Appointment Bookings to Open Tuesday Morning for Kids Born Between 2010 and 2016
The Middlesex-London Health Unit is encouraging parents and guardians of children who are five or who will be turning five before the end of the year, up to the age of 11, to have their kids roll up their sleeves. Starting Tuesday, November 23rd at 8:00 a.m., the Health Unit’s vaccination appointment booking system, at www.covidvaccinelm.ca, will begin offering dates and times when children will be able to get their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The decision comes after the announcement last Friday of Health Canada’s approval of the Pfizer BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine for children and the Provincial Government’s announcement today that its online portal would begin taking appointment bookings tomorrow.
Health Unit Advises of Appointment of Acting Medical Officer of Health
The Middlesex-London Board of Health has appointed Dr. Alex Summers as Acting Medical Officer of Health for the Middlesex-London Health Unit while Dr. Chris Mackie is taking a leave of absence from his duties as Medical Officer of Health.