Moving to Phase 2 of COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution Plan
Phase 2 includes focus on communities hit hardest by COVID-19 and those with the highest-risk health conditions
Thanks to the tireless efforts of our frontline health care workers, we are getting needles in arms as quickly as possible and have now administered over 2.6 million vaccine doses.
As soon as vaccines arrive our focus is turning to the communities hit hardest by COVID-19 and those with the highest-risk health conditions. With a steady supply of vaccines from the federal government, over nine million Ontarians will be offered their first vaccination by the end of June 2021 as part of Phase Two.
In order to reduce the impact of COVID-19 as quickly as possible, our government, in collaboration with public health units, is increasing vaccine allocations through all delivery channels, including mobile teams, to COVID-19 “hot spot” communities across 13 public health units with historic and ongoing areas with high rates of death, hospitalization and transmission.
As early as April 6, 2021, individuals with the highest-risk health conditions will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in Ontario. This includes:
- Organ transplant recipients;
- Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients;
- People with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis);
- Haematological malignancy diagnosed less than one year ago;
- Sickle cell disease;
- Kidney disease eGFR< 30; and
- Essential caregivers for individuals in the groups listed above.
Patients in the highest-risk clinical groups will be contacted by their health care providers to set up an appointment for a vaccination.
On March 15, Ontario launched its provincial booking system and call centre to support COVID-19 vaccination appointment bookings at mass immunization clinics, including age groups identified in Phase Two. Public health units using the provincial booking system will begin offering appointments to individuals aged 60 and over beginning on April 7, 2021 at 8:00 a.m.
Vaccines remain our best defense against COVID-19 and variants. With more supply expected to arrive, we encourage everyone to sign up when it’s their turn.