Ontario Expands COVID-19 Vaccination Booking to Individuals Aged 70 and over in Additional Regions

Province extending appointments to more people ahead of schedule

News.Ontario.ca
March 29, 2021

The Ontario government is extending booking for COVID-19 vaccination appointments to individuals aged 70 and over through its online booking system and call centre in 11 additional public health units on March 29, 2021, following its expansion in Toronto that began on March 27, 2021.

As of 8:00 a.m. on Monday, March 29, 2021, all individuals aged 70 and over in the following public health units will be eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment at a mass immunization clinic through the provincial online booking system and call centre:

• City of Hamilton Public Health Services;
• Grey Bruce Health Unit;
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health;
• Lambton Public Health;
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit;
• Niagara Region Public Health;
• Ottawa Public Health;
• Peel Public Health;
• Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit;
• Timiskaming Health Unit; and
• York Region Public Health.

"Thanks to the careful planning of everyone involved in the vaccine rollout, we are able to extend vaccination appointments to more Ontarians ahead of schedule," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. "But until Ontario receives enough vaccines so that the majority of Ontarians can be vaccinated, it remains critical for everyone to continue following public health measures, so that we can control the spread. Please, continue to wear a face covering, practise physical distancing and wash your hands to help keep our communities and loved ones safe."

As of March 27, 2021, over three-quarters of Ontario residents aged 80 and over have received at least one dose. Over a third of residents aged 75 to 79 have now received their first shot.

As vaccine supply is delivered across the province and additional public health units begin vaccinating individuals aged 70 and over, vaccine administration rates may differ based on local context. Rollout and timing has been further impacted by the latest delay in shipment of the Moderna vaccine, initially planned for March 30 but now delayed until April 7. For more information on local vaccine rollout, individuals are encouraged to contact their local public health unit.

"As Ontario's immunization program continues to expand, communities across the province are gaining greater levels of protection that will save lives," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. "We will continue to extend this rollout to other regions as more vaccines become available, and we ask that everyone remains vigilant and continues to follow public health measures."

Ontario continues to work with public health units to vaccinate remaining Phase One populations, including First Nation, Metis, and Inuit adults, health care workers, adult chronic home care recipients, and residents and staff in congregate care settings for seniors. Public health units have been directed to consider accessibility issues in their plans and have local solutions, such as mobile clinics and transportation supports.

Quick Facts

• To date in March 2021, Ontario has received 1,454,310 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, 323,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine and 194,500 doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine. In April 2021, the province is expecting to receive 1,584,180 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 751,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
• Ontario’s exact allocations and delivery timing for the AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, as well as delivery timing for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine after March are pending confirmation from the federal government and are not known at this time.
• As of March 27, 2021, individuals aged 70 and over in Toronto can book appointments at mass immunization clinics through the provincial online booking system and call centre. As of Monday, March 29, 2021, individuals aged 70 and over in the following regions will also be eligible: Hamilton; Grey Bruce; Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington; Lambton; Leeds, Grenville and Lanark; Niagara; Ottawa; Peel; Simcoe-Muskoka; Timiskaming; and York Region. In all other public health units, the provincial booking system and call centre for appointments at mass immunization clinics is available only for individuals aged 75 and over.
• Eligible individuals can schedule a vaccine appointment by visiting Ontario.ca/bookvaccine, or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Information Line number at 1-888-999-6488. The Provincial Vaccine Information Line is open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and can provide assistance in 300 languages.

Healthy people are essential for a healthy economy. The government released the 2021 Ontario Budget on March 24 outlining the province’s next steps to defeat COVID-19. It brings total investments to $16.3 billion to protect people’s health. Ontario’s total response to COVID-19 is now $51 billion.