A pop-up immunization clinic in Stratford helped more than 20 children new to Canada get ready for school.
Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) partnered with the YMCA Immigrant Services to offer the clinic for new immigrant families on Thursday at the Stratford YMCA.
Ruth Ann Ogilvie, a public health nurse on the immunization team, said that the clinic was a great success and a model for future clinics.
She explained that settlement workers at the Y contacted a number of new families and let them know about the clinic, something which was important considering they are new to the area and haven’t had the chance to get a family health practitioner.
“Families expressed appreciation that they could come to get immunizations,” Ogilvie said. “We also had great feedback for the Y team, and they had good feedback for the health unit. So we're hoping that that collaboration will continue with ongoing clinics.”
Overall, the team did over 30 “routine” immunizations for over 20 individuals, predominantly school-aged children, who would need the immunizations for school attendance.
The Stratford clinic will be reviewed and used as a guide for further pop-up clinics - in Stratford, Listowel, St. Marys, and beyond, if the clinics are successful.
“There’s people all over our counties,” Ogilvie said. “We’re trying to meet people where they are … so people don’t have to travel as far to get their immunizations.”
