Effective immediately, Ontario is offering long-term care residents a fourth dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
Based on the recommendations from the Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee, the mRNA vaccines are available to residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, Elder Care Lodges and other congregate care settings if at least three months, or 84 days, have passed since their third dose.
In response to the uniquely high-risk nature of long-term care settings for Ontario’s most vulnerable individuals, the province is also mandating third doses for all staff, students, volunteers, caregivers and support workers by January 28, 2022 for those currently eligible for a booster, and will be requiring visitors to provide proof of a booster dose once the temporary pause on general visitors is lifted.
As of December 13, 2021, all staff had to be fully vaccinated to work in long-term care homes, unless they have a valid medical exemption. To date, nearly 47 per cent of eligible staff and nearly 86 per cent of eligible residents have received their third dose booster. The province will continue to monitor long-term care homes and adjust measures as necessary to keep residents safe.
The government and the Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to monitor trends in key public health and health care indicators, including emerging data on the Omicron variant and will continue to take swift action to ensure the health and safety of Ontarians.
Effective immediately, #longtermcare residents are eligible for a fourth mRNA #vaccine dose if at least three months (84 days) have passed since their third dose. For more details, please visit: https://t.co/VnGt7y4ABh pic.twitter.com/aVfVuHgahC
— Ontario Long-Term Care (@ONlongtermcare) December 30, 2021
To protect against the highly transmissible #Omicron variant, all staff and caregivers in #longtermcare homes who are eligible for a third vaccine dose by December 31, 2021 must receive that dose by January 28, 2022. To learn more: https://t.co/VnGt7y4ABh pic.twitter.com/6IsY3w1pXk
— Ontario Long-Term Care (@ONlongtermcare) December 30, 2021