The Seasonal Care Clinic beside the Emergency Department at the Chatham hospital will be closing at the end of the day Friday.
The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) said it will close at 4 p.m. on March 21, 2025.
It launched on December 10, 2024 and served more than 1,300 people, according to CKHA. The clinic operated for four months last winter, helping over 1,500 people.
The seasonal clinic was open to those with cough, cold, and flu symptoms, as well as other minor ailments and was intended to provide care to the public if they did not have a Physician/Nurse Practitioner or could not be seen in a timely manner by their primary health care provider during the seasonal surge of cold, flu, and respiratory illness.
"This initiative contributed to conserving capacity and easing pressure in the Emergency Department at CKHA during months that typically see increased visits for seasonal illness and other mild ailments," said CKHA officials in a news release on Friday morning.
The MMR vaccine (measles-mumps-rubella) will no longer be available at the seasonal clinic either, said hospital officials.
CKHA noted adults and/or their children who have been exposed to the measles virus and are not fully vaccinated can call CK Public Health at 519-352-7270 extension 5902 for further directions.
Click here for more information on the measles and exposures in Chatham-Kent.
CKHA said the seasonal clinic is set to return next year.
"Both Chatham-Kent EMS and CKHA look forward to continuing their partnership and collaborating in the future to address the care needs of the community," CKHA noted.
CKHA is also asking individuals looking for non-emergency clinical services in the community to consider all options for healthcare, including:
Visiting their Physician/Nurse Practitioner
Visiting a walk-in clinic or virtual clinic
Visiting a Pharmacist
Dialing 8-1-1 to connect with a qualified health professional who can provide health advice and information 24 hours a day
Accessing online urgent care at www.urgentcareontario.ca
Click here to learn more about where to access health and social services in Chatham-Kent.