More Ontarians Can Get Their 4th COVID-19 Vaccine Dose & Here's When You Can Get Yours
Dr. Kieran Moore says the province is going through its "seventh COVID-19 pandemic wave."
Dr. Kieran Moore making an announcement.
More people in Ontario can get their fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccines and start booking their appointments as early as this week.
On Wednesday, July 13, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced that Ontarians between the ages of 18 to 59 are now eligible for their second booster doses.
Starting on Thursday, July 14, at 8 a.m. Ontarians in this age group can start to book their appointments online through the COVID-19 vaccine portal, over the phone with Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 or directly through their local public health unit.
"Second booster doses are being offered at an interval of five months after an individual receives their first booster dose," a news release reads.
"While most individuals aged 18 to 59 years old will continue to have strong protection more than six months after their first booster dose, expanding second booster dose eligibility will ensure that Ontarians can make an informed decision based on their personal circumstances."
The Ontario government also noted that a new COVID-19 vaccine is expected to get approved by Health Canada this coming fall, which "may offer more targetted protection against the Omicron variants."
Since April, only those 60 years old or older, immunocompromised or living in long-term care homes and other congregate care settings were able to get their fourth dose. First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals could also book their fourth doses.
This announcement comes about a week after Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table said that the province is in another wave caused by the Omicron BA.5 subvariant.
"This variant has been increasing in prevalence since early June and is now the dominant strain in Ontario," Moore said during a press conference. "BA.5 is more transmissible, which is reflected in the data we have seen in the last few weeks."
On top of expanding its eligibility for second booster doses, the Ontario government announced that it will continue to provide rapid antigen tests until the end of the year.
Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.