Ontario expands third dose eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines

Ontario is expanding its rollout plans for third doses of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday.

Beginning this week, Ontario is expanding third dose eligibility to people who are 70 years or older, certain health care workers or workers in congregate settings, people who got two doses of AstraZeneca or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and First Nation, Inuit and Metis people.

Eligibility has grown to accommodate 2.75 million more people in Ontario. Ontarians who are eligible are able to begin booking appointments this Saturday at 8 am.

Either mRNA vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna, will be used as a booster dose, per NACI recommendations.

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People looking to book their booster dose can do so through the province’s vaccine portal, their local public health unit, participating pharmacies, and other clinics currently offering COVID-19 vaccinations.

Third dose rollout/Government of Ontario

Prior to now, Ontario was offering third doses to immunocompromised people, residents of long-term care homes, First Nation elder lodges, retirement homes, and those who take immunosuppressant medications.

By January 2022, the province plans to roll out third doses to the general population aged 12 and up who received their COVID-19 vaccine six to eight months prior.

Third dose rollout/Government of Ontario

Ontario’s chief medical officer of health will be making an official announcement at 1:00 pm on Wednesday.

The Ontario government says that two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine continue to show strong protection against severe infection and hospitalization in the general population.