The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association says “a few major members” are working on COVID-19 vaccination sites in Ontario.
Flavio Volpe, head of the APMA, didn’t name the suppliers, saying “it’s a fluid discussion.”
In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, curb an ongoing third wave of infections and protect communities with the highest rates of transmission, Ontario is rolling out vaccines to 114 highly affected neighbourhoods, as identified by postal code. They will be reached through mass immunization clinics, mobile teams and pop-up clinics.
Mobile teams and pop-up clinics will administer vaccines in high-risk congregate settings, residential buildings and faith-based locations in hot spot neighbourhoods.
Ontario is also working with public health units, business groups and large employers to explore employer-operated on-site vaccination clinics, with a focus on hot spot communities at greatest risk. These clinics will be set up, operated and funded by participating employers within hot spot areas and will vaccinate employees aged 18 and over as well as members of the local and neighbouring communities. This capacity will supplement publicly-run vaccination clinics.
Volpe said that initially, the hotspots seem to be located all around the GTA “and it seems like they’re getting covered by public health pretty rapidly.”
Employer-operated on-site clinics must have the support of local public health units and hospitals as the program needs to be consistent with local plans.
Employers interested in hosting an on-site clinic must meet the following criteria:
- The workplace must be located within an identified hot-spot community and have had a previous COVID-19 outbreak or is at risk of an outbreak;
- The on-site clinic will vaccinate employees who cannot work at home, many of whom reside in hot-spot areas;
- The employer will also vaccinate those in the local community, either at the on-site clinic or an alternative location in consultation with the local public health unit;
- The employer will take on the responsibility of setting up, operating and funding the on-site vaccination clinic as well as the community clinics being sponsored if not onsite;
“The incremental cost makes less sense for operations close to current vaccination centres but where they aren’t, it could work,” Volpe said. “What’s the cost of the alternative?”
