Starting today, Ontario residents aged 60 and older will be eligible for a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose.
The province says First Nations, Inuit and Metis people and their non-Indigenous household members aged 18 and above will also be eligible for a second booster shot anytime after 8 this morning.
It says expanding booster eligibility will provide an extra layer of protection against the Omicron and BA.2 variants and, in addition to antivirals, are another tool the province is using to live with and manage COVID-19.
“As we continue to live with COVID-19, we are using every tool available to manage this virus and reduce its impact on our hospitals and health system, including by expanding the use of booster doses,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Vaccines are our best defence against COVID-19 and its variants. Because of our exceptionally high vaccination rates and Ontario’s cautious approach, we currently have one of the lowest hospitalization rates in the country and have performed well throughout this pandemic when compared to other similar sized provinces and states. I encourage everyone who’s eligible to get boosted as soon as you’re able.”
Eligible individuals will be able to book their fourth dose appointment through the COVID-19 vaccination portal or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900, directly through public health units that use their own booking systems, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, participating pharmacies, and participating primary care settings. Booster doses are being offered to these individuals at a recommended interval of five months after receiving their last booster.
Ontario is expanding eligibility for fourth doses of the #COVID19 vaccine!
Starting April 7 at 8 a.m., individuals aged 60+ as well as First Nation, Inuit & Métis individuals and their non-Indigenous household members aged 18+ will be eligible to book.https://t.co/3hnBA02dzS pic.twitter.com/6ErKwXKTK2
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) April 6, 2022