NGH marks the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 vaccines in Haldimand-Norfolk

On January 12, 2021, Norfolk General Hospital (NGH) and the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) received the first shipment of the Health Canada approved Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. This was a day of hope for many and marked a critical turning point in the pandemic.

One year later, we and our healthcare partners have made significant progress in Haldimand-Norfolk. Norfolk General Hospital’s vaccination efforts, which started with 70 residents of long-term care facilities and health care providers on January 15, 2021, have since expanded, and close to 50,000 doses of the COVID-19 have been administered at the NGH COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic.

In total, 180,862 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across Haldimand-Norfolk and nearly 65,500 people are fully vaccinated.  Thousands of lives have been saved and millions have been protected from becoming severely ill from COVID-19 across Ontario.

“There have been many important milestones during the pandemic, and one that sticks out is the first day of vaccinations,” says Kim Mullins, NGH Interim President, and CEO. “This was an exciting and historic day, providing a much-needed spark of hope for our staff and community during the darkest days of the pandemic. We advocated at the highest level for our region to receive the first doses of the vaccine from the day the vaccines were approved. We are thankful and proud of all our staff and our healthcare partners who have led the way throughout the pandemic.”

On February 18, 2021, after nearly a month from the vaccines being made available, over 100 healthcare workers from across Haldimand-Norfolk received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Hope was on the horizon. Soon after, NGH and our healthcare partners began vaccinating the broader community and have since vaccinated thousands of people, from 65+ years old to as young as 5 years old.

“Our team at NGH has created an extremely organized and streamlined process in the clinic which helps create a positive atmosphere for everyone who enters our doors,” said David Liu, Director of Pharmacy. ”I am extremely proud to be part of such a great working team and to see all of the great work that’s being done at the clinic to help support our healthcare workers and the community we serve.”

Although Haldimand-Norfolk has made significant vaccination progress, many remain unvaccinated or require a booster shot.

The emergence of a new variant is just one more reason why vaccines, boosters, and safety measures such as wearing a mask and keeping six feet a part, and following all of the public health guidelines are so important. If you are currently unvaccinated or eligible for a booster, NGH encourages you to get a vaccine to protect yourself and others.

“We must work together to end this pandemic, and we should celebrate how far we have come and how many people have gotten vaccinated this past year to protect themselves and others, said Mullins. Every person who gets a vaccine brings us one step closer to the end of the pandemic, and that is a very good reason to be hopeful about the future.”

NGH encourages those who are already vaccinated to get a booster shot to maximize their immunity against COVID-19 and help prevent the spread of new variants like omicron. Adults 18+ who had their second dose at least 84 days prior are eligible for a booster. Appointments for the clinic can be booked by clicking here: 

We would like to thank everyone in Haldimand-Norfolk who have done their part by getting vaccinated. Awesome job!