York Region opening up 58,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments next week

Thestar.com
July 5, 2021
Simon Martin

York Region is opening up 58,000 new appointments for COVID-19 vaccines to become available next week.

On Monday, July 5, 2021 at 8 a.m., approximately 25,000 COVID-19 vaccine appointments will be available to anyone aged 12 and older who lives, works or goes to school in York Region and is looking to book a first dose or who have received their first dose of an mRNA vaccine and wish to book a second dose appointment or an earlier second dose appointment.

On Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at 8 a.m., an additional 33,000 COVID-19 appointments will be released for all eligible individuals.

New appointments can be booked online or by phone by visiting york.ca/COVID19Vaccine

Previously booked second dose appointments will be honoured and will not be cancelled unless a new and earlier appointment is confirmed.

There will also be second doses available for youth aged 12 to 17.

Beginning Monday, July 5, 2021 at 8 a.m. youth aged 12 to 17 will join all other eligible individuals looking to book a second dose appointment or an accelerated second dose appointment at all York Region vaccination clinics. Second dose appointments of the Pfizer vaccine must be administered at least 28 days following receipt of the first dose.

On Wednesday, June 30, 2021, Health Canada updated the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna product monographs to describe rare reports of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination.

Cases of myocarditis and/or pericarditis following immunization with COVID-19 vaccines have been reported in a small number of people in Canada and internationally. These reports are rare and investigations into the association between myocarditis/pericarditis and mRNA vaccines continue.

On Friday, July 2, 2021, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released further recommendations that a complete series with an mRNA vaccine should be offered to all individuals, including those 12 years of age and older. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh any potential risks as scientific evidence shows they reduce deaths and hospitalizations due to COVID-19. The Government of Canada encourages people to get vaccinated and to complete their vaccine series as soon as they are eligible.

Accelerated second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for those age 12 to 17 are also available through participating pharmacies.

Individuals who received AstraZeneca as their first dose are eligible to book a second dose of AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine at participating pharmacies, primary care clinics and mass vaccination clinics as early as eight weeks after the first dose, with informed consent.

Moderna will be used for all first and second dose appointments for individuals aged 18 and older at all York Region Public Health-run clinics through to at least Sunday, July 18, 2021. Individuals aged 12 to 17 remain exempt from this change and will be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine.

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines are over 90 per cent effective at preventing serious illness and death due to COVID-19. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) considers these mRNA vaccines to be interchangeable, if the same product is not readily available.

The Ministry of Health encourages all people living in Ontario to get their second dose as soon as possible due to the recent increased circulation of the Delta variant throughout the province.

If the vaccine you received for your first dose is not available at your second dose appointment, it is recommended you receive the mRNA that is available rather than delaying your second dose. Individuals who received their first dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine can receive their second dose at a shortened interval of no less than 28 days.

Clinic dates and times vary for each location. Please visit york.ca/COVID19Vaccine for specific clinic details.

On Friday, June 25, 2021 York Region transitioned to a new booking platform. All appointments previously booked at a public health-led clinic, including existing second dose appointments, have been migrated to the new booking system.