Ontario is opening up eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to everyone aged 18 and older a week ahead of schedule, the province said Monday, as public health units reported another 2,170 cases of the illness.
Those who meet the criteria can begin booking appointments through the province’s online portal and call centre or through their local public health unit, depending on where they live, as of 8 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Ontario expects 2.2 million more doses of vaccines to arrive this week ahead of the Victoria Day long weekend. Among the additional doses is a shipment that was not supposed to land until next week, the province said in a news release.
Meanwhile, Ontarians who are 17 and set to turn 18 in 2021 will also be able to book an appointment for a shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the only one currently approved for use in adolescents aged 12 and older in Canada, starting Tuesday.
The province said it intends to start opening appointments through its online portal and call centre for those aged 12-17 the week of May 31. Officials say they are working with health units, school boards and First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to finalize the details. Family members of adolescents who have not already been vaccinated will be encouraged to attend those same clinics for a shot, the province said.
Lastly, as of tomorrow, public health units administering the Pfizer vaccine through mobile and pop-up clinics, or via any clinics where walk-ins are permitted, will have the option to offer shots to those aged 12 and over.
New cases continue downward trend
The new cases reported today include 566 in Toronto, 556 in Peel Region, 215 in York Region, 120 in Durham Region and 101 in Hamilton.
The seven-day average of daily cases fell to 2,352, its lowest point since April 1.
