Ontario to receive 194,000 doses of AstraZeneca Tuesday, vaccine will be administered in pharmacies
Posted March 9, 2021 12:19 pm.
Last Updated March 9, 2021 12:26 pm.
Health Minister Christine Elliot says the province will be receiving 194,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, a day earlier than expected.
The AstraZeneca vaccine has been earmarked to be administered in pharmacies to those aged 60 to 64 as a part of a pilot project.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has recommended the vaccine not be given to those 65 and older, citing concerns about the limited information on how the vaccine will work in seniors.
Quebec has said they will be administering the newly-approved AstraZeneca vaccine to seniors, however Ontario will be following the guidelines from the NACI.
The Ontario Pharmacists Association says the vaccination pilot will begin with approximately 380 pharmacies in Toronto, Kingston and Windsor-Essex health units.
CEO Justin Bates says pharmacies will use their own booking systems to make appointments, likely starting with people between the ages of 60 and 64, and the program will eventually scale up.
The list of pharmacies taken part will be released Wednesday with bookings starting on Friday.
Ontario has administered 943,533 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and 276,193 people have been fully vaccinated.
