AstraZeneca vaccine will be distributed to people aged 60-64, province confirms
Posted March 3, 2021 1:44 pm.
Last Updated March 3, 2021 4:31 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There remains more questions than answers about Ontario’s vaccine rollout the same day the AstraZeneca doses landed in Canada.
680 NEWS has learned no vaccine plan will be released by the Ford government on Wednesday.
Solicitor General Sylvia Jones was asked who in the province will receive the new AstraZeneca vaccine that has a shelf life of less than a month. Jones said she’s not ready to release the details yet, but said it will go to those aged 60 to 64, and suggested it would be pharmacists doling it out.
When asked if teachers will be getting a shot first, Jones said, “we are not targeting specific professions for specific vaccines.”
RELATED: Half a million AstraZeneca doses arrive in Canada amid confusion over its use
Timing is a concern, the AstraZeneca vaccine Ontario is getting has an early April expiry date, but the province’s online portal to book a shot does not open until March 15.
Premier Doug Ford was asked if at-risk neighbourhoods would be prioritized when it comes to the vaccine, he said local public health units have the flexibility to micro target the neighbourhoods most at risk — suggesting that will not be part of the provincial guidelines.
Ford also said Ontario is ahead of the pack when it comes to vaccinations, “we vaccinated more people than anyone in the entire country”
However per capita, Ontario is 7th out of 10th provinces in terms of vaccinations.
Ontario’s Liberals say it doesn’t feel like “there’s a sense of urgency” with the vaccine rollout plan.
Liberal MPP John Fraser says, “it feels more like a stroll out than a rollout.”
