Prime Care Family Health Team Launches COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic

By: Laura Steiner

Milton residents have a new option for COVID-19 vaccines.  Prime Care Family Health Team (PCFHT) has started its vaccine clinic with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“We’re basically targeting anyone in the community who’s over the age of 40,” PCFHT Executive Director Gina Mannella said.  The team is a network of 14 family physicians, and 13 associated health professionals.  The Ministry of Health asked them to redeploy all of their resources to run the clinic in order to accelerate the vaccination program. They have spots for 170 people per day.  “We’re happy to accommodate anyone in Milton, and surrounding cities,” Manella added.  They are reaching out to workplaces, and larger manufacturers including Roxul.

Prime Care is the first primary care team in Milton to host the vaccine clinic. “We’re doing vaccination without borders,” Dr. Kin Chung said.  Chung is the lead physician, and has been practicing in town for 34 years.  He believes in educating his patients on the side effects.  The odds are 900 in 1 million that young women could get a blood clot on birth control. It’s 4 per million if you’re taking AstraZeneca according to Thrombosis Canada.   When hospitalized with COVID-19 , the odds of a blood clot go to approximately 14700 in 1 million (or 14%).

“Yes there’s a tendency to clot, but the number is very small,” Chung said of the AstraZeneca vaccine. “It’s really about putting it in perspective, and leaving it up to the patient,” Manella added.  Other side effects include soreness as well as redness at the vaccine site, a slight fever, fatigue, and low energy that could last for up to one week.  They want residents to be able to trust their family doctor.  “We are thankful to have this opportunity, and it’s really welcome in our community especially.  Milton recorded an increase of 39 case of COVID-19 today.

The vaccine clinic is being held at 470 Bronte St S, unit 110 Milton Ontario (Laurier and Bronte area).  The hours are: Monday-Thursday 9am to 4pm.  To book an appointment either call: 905-878-1720 or email an appointment request to covid19vaccine@primecarefht.ca.  Someone will follow up on the request within 24 hours.  “To me, it as a service we provide to Miltonians,” Chung added.  Watch the full interview below:

Update: 14/5/2021: Prime Care’s Astra Zeneca Clinic Cancelled

Due the provincial policy change regarding AstraZeneca, the Prime Care clinic is cancelled.  There will be no second doses of AstraZeneca given at this time.