Ontario lowers AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine eligibility age to 40

Ontario is lowering the eligibility age for receiving the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to 40 this week in a bid to get more doses in arms.

Starting Tuesday, April 20, anyone in Ontario age 40 or older can book an appointment for the vaccine through a participating pharmacy or primary care provider.

Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, announced the expanded age range on Monday after Health Canada reviewed data on cases of rare but serious blood clots following vaccination and decided not to restrict AstraZeneca’s use for any age ranges.

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“With supply of AstraZeneca available at this time, the expansion of eligibility will also significantly increase access to vaccines in hot spot communities,” Williams said in a news release.

Ontario has administered about 3.8 million doses of vaccine so far as it faces a third wave of infection. ICU admissions related to COVID-19 are at an all-time high and the province broke its daily COVID-19 case record three times last week.