Ontario 'examining' possibility of letting more residents book second dose sooner: health minister
Health Minister Christine Elliott says that the province is “examining” the possibility of letting more Ontarians book appointments for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine weeks or even months ahead of schedule.
Ontario made residents 80 and up eligible to receive a second dose this week but wasn’t planning to extend eligibility to all individuals able to receive a shot until the week of August 9.
Elliott, however, told reporters at Queen’s Park on Thursday that discussions are now taking place about potentially scrapping age requirements altogether “to make sure that anybody who wants to receive their second vaccine can get one as quickly as possible.”
“We're looking at all options because we need to stay ahead of this (Delta) variant so that we can then move into stage one and get life back more to normal for people as quickly as we can,” she said.
Elliott’s comments come just one week after provincial health officials released an updated timeline for getting shots into arms.
Under that plan, residents 70 and up would become eligible for a second dose during the week of June 14 but the province would then switch to a “first-in and first-out” method where residents would become eligible based on when they received their first shot; not age.
Elliott said that if the province was to accelerate the widening of eligibility it would be done across Ontario and not just in hot spot communities.
Nearly 70 per cent of Ontario adults have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine so far but only a fraction of those individuals (about 835,000 people) are fully vaccinated.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Nanos survey says most Canadians support expansion of Old Age Security benefits, but economic experts call it 'terrible policy'
Amid new polling indicating most Canadians support boosting Old Age Security benefits by 10 per cent for seniors aged 65 to 74, a former Liberal finance minister and former Bank of Canada governor are warning the government not to pursue the policy change.
'You were innocent': Judge acquits Manitoba man 50 years after murder conviction
A Manitoba man convicted of murder 50 years ago has been acquitted. Clarence Woodhouse was found guilty in 1974 of fatally beating and stabbing a restaurant worker in downtown Winnipeg.
Health official confirms death of Ontario child following rabies diagnosis
An Ontario child has died after coming in contact with a rabid bat, a health official confirmed on Wednesday.
Los Angeles prosecutors to review new evidence in Menendez brothers' 1996 murder conviction
Prosecutors in Los Angeles are reviewing new evidence in the case of Erik and Lyle Menendez to determine whether they should be serving life sentences for killing their parents in their Beverly Hills mansion more than 35 years ago, the city's district attorney said Thursday.
Garth Brooks accused of rape in lawsuit from hair-and-makeup artist
A woman who says she worked as a hair-and-makeup stylist for Garth Brooks alleged in a lawsuit filed Thursday that he raped her in a Los Angeles hotel in 2019.
Melania Trump says she supports abortion rights, putting her at odds with the GOP
Melania Trump revealed her support for abortion rights Thursday ahead of the release of her upcoming memoir, exposing a stark contrast with her husband, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, on the crucial election issue.
Breast cancer patient says she had to lie to get a mammogram in Ontario
When an Ontario doctor refused to sign off on a mammogram for 38-year-old Sidra Lone, the mother of four says she was left with no choice but to lie.
184 passengers and crew evacuated as Ryanair Boeing plane catches fire on runway in Italy
More than 180 people were evacuated Thursday from a Ryanair Boeing passenger jet after it caught fire while taxiing to take off at Brindisi Airport in southern Italy.
Mixed verdict for 3 Memphis officers convicted in Tyre Nichols' fatal beating
Three former Memphis police officers were convicted Thursday in the 2023 fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, but were acquitted of the harshest charges they faced for a death that sparked national protests and calls for broad changes in policing.