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Ontario Moves Into Phase Two Of Its Vaccine Rollout Plan

Matthew Sitler
Apr 6, 2021 | 2:12 PM
Last Updated: Apr 6, 2021 | 2:42 PM

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Ontario Moves Into Phase Two Of Its Vaccine Rollout Plan


Ontario is moving into Phase Two of its vaccine rollout plan.

Premier Doug Ford says getting ahead of the virus means actions need to be taken on many fronts.

“Building on the work done to protect long term care home residents, retirement homes, front line care workers and our oldest seniors, we’re now moving to protect those with highest risk health conditions and their caregivers,” said Ford. “And we will be immediately targeting hot spot postal codes to help get this third wave under control.”

Locally, one of the hot spots identified is area code L3Z in South Simcoe.

People with the following highest-risk health conditions will now be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in Ontario:

  • Organ transplant recipients;
  • Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients;
  • People with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis);
  • Haematological malignancy diagnosed less than one year ago;
  • Sickle cell disease;
  • Kidney disease eGFR< 30; and
  • Essential caregivers for individuals in the groups listed above.

Patients with the specific health conditions listed above, as well as their essential caregiver will be identified for vaccination due to an increased risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19, regardless of age.

The province expects to reach the majority of this group through hospital clinics by the end of April 2021.

Patients in the highest-risk clinical groups will be contacted by their health care providers to set up an appointment for a vaccination. The Ministry of Health is working with Ontario Health, as well as networks like the Ontario Renal Network and other clinical organizations and vaccination partners, to identify and vaccinate these patients and their caregivers as soon as possible.

“As we continue our fight against COVID-19, it is critical that we continue to ramp up capacity to protect our vulnerable populations and those with the highest-risk health conditions,” says Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “While we have recently implemented a province-wide emergency brake to protect Ontarians and limit transmission, vaccines remain our best defence against COVID-19 and the variants. With more supply expected to arrive, we encourage everyone to sign up when it’s their turn.”

On March 15th, Ontario launched its provincial booking system and call centre to support COVID-19 vaccination appointment bookings at mass immunization clinics.

The system has already supported the immunization of other groups identified in Phase Two, including individuals aged 70 and over, with many public health units using the provincial booking system to offer appointments to individuals aged 60 and over beginning on April 7th at 8 am.

Public health units that are currently not on the provincial booking system and wish to use the system will continue to be onboarded throughout the month.

Other groups that will become eligible to receive vaccines as part of Phase Two of the Ontario immunization program include:

  • Individuals with specific health conditions which make them at high-risk or at-risk, as well as some primary caregivers;
  • People who live and work in congregate settings and some primary caregivers; and,
  • Certain workers who cannot work from home (e.g., elementary / secondary school staff, food manufacturing workers, high-risk and critical retail workers, and more).

 

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