More groups are becoming eligible this week to book their COVID-19 vaccines on the province’s online booking portal, with a few adjustments to the anticipated schedule.
The Ontario government now says patients with “at-risk’ health conditions, as well as Group Two of employees who can’t work from home, will be able to book a vaccine starting at 8am tomorrow (Tuesday), while the provincewide age eligibility drops to 40 as of Thursday.
At-risk health conditions include:
- Immune deficiencies and autoimmune disorders
- Stroke and cerebrovascular disease
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- Liver disease
- All other cancers
- Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy
- Spleen problems, such as asplenia
- Heart disease
- Hypertension with end organ damage
- Diagnosed mental disorder
- Substance use disorders
- Sickle cell disease
- Thalassemia
- Immunocompromising health conditions
- Other disabilities requiring direct support care in the community
Group 2 of employees who cannot work from home includes:
- Essential and critical retail workers (including grocery, foodbank, pharmacy, ServiceOntario, ServiceCanada,
- Passport Canada, wholesalers and general goods, restaurant, LCBO workers)
- Workers in manufacturing industries directly involved in supporting the COVID-19covid 19 response, construction (including infrastructure) and other essential businesses and services where facilities are at heightened risk for COVID-19covid 19 outbreaks and spread
- Social workers and social services staff who provide in-person client services (including youth justice workers,
- Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program case workers)
- Courts and justice system workers (including probation and parole workers)
- Transportation, warehousing and distribution workers (including public transit workers, truck drivers supporting essential services, marine and rail cargo and maintenance, highway maintenance)
- Electricity (including system operations, generation, transmission, distribution and storage workers)
- Communications infrastructure workers (including cellular, satellite, landline, internet, public safety radio)
- Water and wastewater management workers]
- Financial services workers (bank branch staff)
- Veterinarians and veterinary teams
- Waste management workers
- Oil and petroleum workers (including petroleum refineries, crude oil and petroleum storage, transmission and distribution, retail sale of fuel)
- Natural gas and propane gas workers (including compression, storage, transmission and distribution of natural gas and propane)
Mine workers (including those needed to ensure the continued operation of active mines)
Uranium processing workers (those working in the refining and conversion of uranium and fabrication of fuel for nuclear power plants)
For more details, please click here.
In addition, the Ontario government is adding high-risk health care workers to the list of those eligible to receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval.
That includes all hospital and acute care staff in frontline roles, all medical first responders and long-term care home workers.
It says eligibility for booking will begin by the end of this week and details will be provided in the coming days.
Eligible groups can use Ontario’s vaccine booking system to find out how to schedule an appointment, or can call the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line number at 1-833-943-3900.
As of Tues, May 11 those with at-risk health conditions and Group 2 of people who cannot work from will be eligible to book an appt to receive the #COVID19Vaccine.
As of Thurs, May 13 individuals turning 40 and over in 2021 will also be eligible to book their appts. pic.twitter.com/jjtyUo1TYp
— SMDHU (@SMDhealthunit) May 10, 2021
As of May 13, 2021, at 8:00 a.m., individuals aged 40+ in 2021 in non-hot spot communities will be eligible to book their #COVID19 vaccine at a mass immunization clinic at https://t.co/BqXNJQ33VV or through public health units that use their own booking system. pic.twitter.com/OnxyIcs8NU
— Ontario Ministry of Health (@ONThealth) May 10, 2021
As of May 11 at 8:00 a.m., individuals with at-risk health conditions such as dementia, diabetes & sickle cell disease will be eligible to book #COVID19 vaccines through https://t.co/BqXNJQ33VV or through public health units using their own booking system. https://t.co/Y6fN7X1BjO pic.twitter.com/akArTakmTB
— Ontario Ministry of Health (@ONThealth) May 10, 2021