Delta variant hotspots prioritized for second doses across Ontario

Ontario is speeding up access to second doses in certain hotspot regions to bring Delta variant infections under control.

Two doses are crucial to protect against the more transmissible and more severe B.1.617 virus strain that drove a deadly resurgence of COVID-19 in India this year. Officials shared an updated timeline on Thursday for when Ontarians can expect a second dose.

Delta hotspot residents in Halton, Peel, Porcupine, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, and York will be eligible for a second dose starting Monday, June 14, provided the minimum interval has passed since their first dose.

The entire region will become eligible on June 14. That’s different from first dose prioritization, when the province identified certain postal codes as hotspots.

Government of Ontario

Ontario is using a minimum dose interval of 28 days for both Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines. That means people in the hotspot regions who received their first dose on or before May 9 will become eligible to book a second dose on June 14.

People who received AstraZeneca as their first dose can choose either a second AstraZeneca or mRNA shot. If they choose a full course of AstraZeneca, they need to wait 12 weeks between shots.

Here’s a breakdown of where the three vaccines are available and who’s eligible for them:

Government of Ontario

Toronto has already named the postal codes where residents are eligible for an accelerated second dose.

Starting June 20, workplace and mobile clinics in Peel, York, and Toronto will provide second doses to hotspot residents.

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Some community clinics, such as Bramalea Civic Centre and Sheridan College, also provide second doses to eligible patients.

Ontario is also encouraging people who received a shot outside the province to contact their local public health unit to update their immunization records in the COVAX system. This will allow the province to track its vaccination data more accurately and provide Ontarians with an easy way to confirm their vaccination status.