Black and racialized populations in Ontario can get a COVID-19 vaccine during Phase 2

Ontario has updated its COVID-19 vaccination plan to include Black and racialized populations in Phase 2 ahead of general population immunization.

The provincial government added “Black and other racialized populations” to its list of groups eligible for a vaccine in Phase 2, along with people who are members of communities that have been historical hot spots for infection.

Government of Ontario

This comes as the province makes efforts to distribute vaccines equitably.

The City of Toronto requested the province collect sociodemographic data from people getting vaccinated so health authorities could analyze if it’s being distributed fairly in a March 8 report.

The province’s website now says it will be asking people who get a shot for information about their income, ethnicity, language, and household size. Submitting information will be completely optional and will be anonymous to protect privacy.

See also:

Who else is being vaccinated in Phase 2?

Phase 2 is set to start in April when the province opens vaccinations to those under 80 and in certain high-risk groups.

Ontario’s government expects Phase 2 to take until July. The remaining population will receive the vaccine in Phase 3, which starts in August.

Descending by age

Government of Ontario

Phase 2 eligibility will start with adults aged 75 or over and proceed in descending increments of five years. The AstraZeneca vaccine, which was recently approved for use on senior populations in Canada, may be eligible earlier for adults 64 and under.

People who live or work in congregate settings

Living or working in a communal setting makes it hard to self-isolate or quarantine. People admitted in this category include:

Prisoners
Farmworkers (including temporary foreign workers)
Schools for children with disabilities
Indigenous healing and wellness facilities
Children’s residential facilities
Violence against women shelters and anti-human trafficking residents
Homes for specialized care
People who live in congregate settings for mental health and addiction
Homeless individuals
Homeless shelters
Supportive housing
Developmental services and supportive living

Essential and frontline workers who can’t work from home

School staff
Police
Firefighters
Funeral home staff
Agricultural workers
Food processing plant workers
Retail workers in grocery stores and pharmacies
Other manufacturing workers
Social workers
Court and justice workers
All other retail workers
Workers in transportation, warehousing, and distribution
Energy, telecom, water, and waste management workers
Financial services
Oil and gas workers

Government of Ontario

People with high-risk chronic conditions

Highest risk:

Organ transplant recipients
Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
People with neurological diseases
Hematological malignancy diagnosed within the last year
Kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) under 30

High risk:

Obesity (BMI over 40)
Other treatments causing immunosuppression such as chemotherapy
People with intellectual or developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome

At risk:

Immune deficiencies and autoimmune disorders
Stroke
Dementia
Diabetes
Liver disease
Cancer
Respiratory diseases
Spleen problems
Heart disease
Hypertension with end-organ damage
Diagnose mental disorder
Substance use disorders
Sickle cell disease
Thalassemia
Pregnancy
Other disabilities or health conditions, including rare diseases

Caregivers for people with some of these conditions will also be eligible for vaccination at this stage.

Communities at greater risk

Black and racialized populations
People in hot spots with historic and ongoing high rates of death, hospitalization, and transmission.

Following Phase 2, the province’s next phase is set to start in July.