Adults 18 and over will be eligible to book COVID-19 boosters in early 2022
Posted December 10, 2021 2:26 pm.
Last Updated December 10, 2021 9:18 pm.
Ontario is expanding COVID-19 booster shot eligibility to all adults aged 18 and over starting on January 4, 2022 at 8 a.m.
Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, made the announcement on Friday.
“Ontario, like other jurisdictions around the world, is seeing concerning trends in public health and health care indicators, and additional measures are required to protect our progress for the long-term,” said Moore.
“All Ontarians are strongly urged to follow these and existing measures and get vaccinated with a first, second or booster dose if you have not done so already.”
Ontarians aged 18 and over will be able to schedule their booster dose appointments through the COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, select pharmacies and primary care settings.
Appointments will be booked for approximately six months (168 days) after a second dose.
Last week Ontario expanded booster eligibility for anyone aged 50 and over starting on December 13 at 8 a.m.
Currently, individuals aged 70-and-up are eligible for booster shots, as well as anyone who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Schools to remain open, no extended holiday break
There was some speculation that the province would announce an extended holiday break for Ontario students, but Moore said that wasn’t in the government’s immediate plans.
“I think all medical officers of health have put forth that the schools should be the first to open and the last to close, that our schools are safe,” Moore said. “And I think, from the bottom of my heart, that schools are safe.
Moore did say the province’s stance could change depending on what happens with the surging Omicron cases in Ontario.
“We will review, though, any risk or threat from Omicron and provide further recommendations because this is new to all of us — but at present we have an agreement that our schools will stay open and reopen on time in January.”
