Premier Doug Ford says he “respectfully disagrees” with anyone who claims there were glitches on Monday’s Day 1 of the provincial portals for booking COVID-19 vaccinations.
That’s not an issue here in Porcupine Health Unit territory. It’s booking appointments using the system it’s been using for a few years, for annual flu shots.
Chief nursing officer Chantal Riopel says so far, so good.
“We have decided to continue with our booking system for now,” she notes, “but we will be transitioning to the Ontario booking system in the coming weeks, so we will advise when that happens.”
Riopel adds that the PHU is confident that any challenges in the provincial system will be ironed out by the time this region starts using it.
As call volume on the PHU’s phone lines increases, Riopel asks you to be patient: you might not be able to speak to someone directly on the first try.
“But they can leave a message and definitely someone from the health unit will call them back usually on the same day to help them book their appointment or answer any questions that they may have.” Riopel adds that it’s not necessary to call several times. Once you leave a message, your call will be returned.