Ontarians aged 18 and older became eligible for a COVID-19 booster vaccine today, provided their second vaccine was more than 84 days ago.
There was a lengthy wait time of more than an hour on the provincial booking system this morning as people tried to book an appointment. Appointments are also available via some pharmacies and health care providers.
“With the rapid expansion of boosters to all individuals aged 18 and older, we are making third doses available to approximately 10.5 million Ontarians. We are pleased to see so many people embrace the opportunity to ensure strong protection against the Omicron variant with over 125,000 appointments booked through the provincial booking system as of 10:00 a.m. today,” said Alexandra Hilkene, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health. “This does not include the thousands of appointments booked through other channels that are using their own booking systems such as certain public health units, pharmacies, primary care and hospitals.”
Nearly 169,000 doses were administered on December 17, with the province continuing to ramp up to administer 200,000 to 300,000 doses per day in the coming days, Hilkene noted.
“As we continue to increase our daily capacity, individual public health units are actively working to add appointments to the booking system on an ongoing basis. Public health units will continue to keep the public informed as more appointments go live on the provincial booking system,” said Hilkene. “We also encourage Ontarians to check regularly for availability through other channels such as pharmacies, primary care settings, and walk-in clinics.”
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit said today that in addition to appointments booked via the province’s vaccine portal, regional community clinics would also accommodate walk-ins as space allows for the following groups (provided the individual is at least 84 days from their second dose):
- Those aged 50+ years;
- Health care workers;
- Indigenous people and their non-Indigenous household members; and
- Individuals who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine.
Walk-ins for those wishing to receive a first or second dose will also be accommodated as the clinic is able.
“With growing concern surrounding the rapidly spreading and highly contagious Omicron variant, individuals are urged to get their booster dose as soon as they are eligible to extend their protection due to increased risk of exposure, severe disease and waning immunity. Early evidence suggests that a third dose or booster can further increase protection against severe illness and hospitalization,” said the health unit via a media release.
The demand for COVID-19 vaccination is high and the health unit asks the public for their patience as they try to book their appointment. The health unit will continue to monitor clinic capacity and will update availability as it is able.
For more information about COVID-19 and details about where and how to get your vaccination, please visit our website at www.smdhu.org/COVID19.
The provincial vaccine booking system is at covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine or call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.
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I keep hearing how urgent the vaccine is for our children and the booster shots for our seniors.
Yet there seems to be no urgency in administering these injections by the health services.
We have the living center, two drugstores on main street giving injections or making a wait list
for future injections? What good they will do in January and February I miss the point.
We have three large churches in the area. Lots of parking or within walking distance sitting empty and unused.
These churches would hold hundreds of people spaced out on one side and processed and waiting to leave on the other. Yes it’s indoors, but with the weather being bitter cold and windy anything is better than lining up outside for hours in winter temperatures. These churches could vaccinate hundreds perhaps thousands per day yet they sit empty unused!
Maybe there is a staff shortage? Maybe the health services just can’t see past the living center?
These injections/services are URGENT, injections vital and yet February for booster shots?
This is not criticism. It is just how I see the situation. There could be improvements!
Booster shots. My grandson when he registered this morning at 8:30 am was looking at Mid to End
of January. 2022.
These shots are called urgent yet the time lapse tells a different story.