Toronto asks province to open COVID-19 vaccine online booking portal to residents 60+
Posted March 31, 2021 2:55 pm.
Last Updated April 1, 2021 5:28 pm.
Mayor John Tory said the City of Toronto has asked the province to lower the eligibility age of people who can register for COVID-19 vaccines using the online portal to 60 years old.
Tory said Premier Doug Ford supports the change and approval was granted on Thursday.
He added dropping the age will allow the City to maximize the use of its mass COVID-19 vaccination sites, where there are still 12,000 appointments available between now and Sunday.
Tory says his hope is to get on with administering vaccinations faster, adding that Toronto’s inclusion in Ontario’s booking system requires that they make this request.
“This change will ensure that we continue to fill up all available appointments and work to get as many eligible people vaccinated, as our supply allows, throughout the holiday weekend and beyond,” he said.
This comes as cases continue to spike in the city and health officials urge residents not to celebrate the Easter holiday in person with those outside your household.
“If the current situation is described as a race, the variants are ahead by a mile,” said Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen De Villa.
“If you gather as usual, you are taking a great risk. It’s just an invitation to COVID-19 variants to spread,” she added.
