Province set to expand vaccinations within Phase One rollout
Posted February 14, 2021 11:44 am.
Last Updated February 14, 2021 11:55 am.
With the COVID-19 vaccine supply set to gradually increase over the coming days and weeks, the province is now making plans to expand its Phase One rollout.
According to a memo sent to Medical Officers of Health and hospital CEOs, adults over the age of 80, and staff, residents and caregivers in retirement homes along with all Indigenous adults are now next in line to receive their first doses.
Since the vaccines first arrived in Canada, the priority was to get first doses into the arms of all long-term care homes as well as staff and essential caregivers and frontline health care workers. The province says with that now nearing completion, it is now ready to make vaccines available to the remainder of the Phase One populations.
- Adults 80 years of age and older.
- Staff, residents and caregivers in retirement homes and other congregate care settings for seniors (e.g., assisted living).
- Health care workers in the High Priority level, and in accordance with the Ministry of Health’s guidance on Health Care Worker Prioritization.
- All Indigenous adults.
- Adult recipients of chronic home care.
The province goes on to say that second dose appointments for the Pfizer vaccine are now being administered 35 to 42 days later except for those recipients in long-term care, First Nations elder care, seniors in retirement homes and congregate care settings and adults over the age of 80. Those individuals can expect to receive the second dose between 21 and 27 days later.
The second doses for the Moderna vaccine will continue to be 28 days after the first dose.
RELATED: Toronto preparing 9 city-operated immunization clinics for vaccine rollout
The City of Toronto announced last week its intention to open nine COVID-19 immunization clinics as a part of their vaccine rollout plan.
The clinics will be operated by Toronto Public Health seven days a week and nine hours per day with the goal of administering 120,000 vaccines a week.
The clinics will be in addition to vaccines being administered in pharmacies and in doctor’s offices where the majority of Toronto residents will be vaccinated, once the supply increases.
