Ontario Is Giving Fourth Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccines To Even More People & Here's Who

More people will soon be able to sign up for their fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose in Ontario.

On Wednesday, April 6, the Ontario government announced that it's expanding eligibility for fourth doses to those who are aged 60 years old and older.

Fourth doses will also be available to First Nation, Inuit and Métis individuals, as well as their non-Indigenous household members aged 18 and older.

As of April 7 at 8 a.m., those who qualify will be able to start booking their appointments.

To schedule an appointment, eligible Ontarians can either go through the COVID-19 vaccine portal, call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900, or go through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics.

Bookings can also be made directly through local public health units, participating pharmacies or at participating primary care settings.

"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," Health Minister Christine Elliott said in the announcement.

"Vaccines are our best defence against COVID-19 and its variants."

This expands the list of people who have already been eligible to book their fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose. As of January 14, immunocompromised Ontarians were able to book appointments, while in December it was announced that residents in long-term care homes and other congregate care settings were able to get their fourth dose.

Ontario appears to be in its sixth wave of COVID-19, which has prompted Toronto's top doctor to urge residents to wear masks while they're indoors, even though mask mandates have been lifted in most settings.

Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines and can answer any questions you may have.