Ontario may expand third COVID-19 vaccine dose eligibility this week, health minister says
Health Minister Christine Elliott says that the Ontario government is considering expanding third dose eligibility to more age groups amid concerns about the new Omicron variant and will have “more to say later this week.”
Ontario’s current guidelines limit third dose eligibility to a handful of groups making up about 20 per cent of the province’s population, including those over 70, people who received two doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine, immunocompromised individuals, Indigenous Ontarians and residents in long-term care and retirement homes.
But there are now increasing calls to accelerate the rollout of third doses before the Omricon variant has a chance to spread widely in Ontario.
The province is currently sitting on a supply of 3.8 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are urging more Ontarians to please come forward and be vaccinated and we're also looking at other age groups for the booster,” Elliott told reporters at Queen’s Park on Monday morning. “We'll have more to say about that later in the week because we want to have that extra layer of protection.”
The detection of the new variant in South Africa last week has caused significant alarm as there are some reports suggesting that the currently existing vaccines may be less effective against it due to a number of mutations in its genetic code.
So far there are only two known cases of the variant in Ontario – both involving individuals who returned to Ottawa from Nigeria – but public health officials have said that they anticipate that more cases will be detected in the coming days.
“We shouldn’t be naïve. This is bound to take over the world and it will be dominant in a few weeks to a few months,” Dr. Peter Juni, who is the scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, told CP24 on Monday. “It happened very fast in South Africa and it could happen relatively fast in the rest of the world as well.”
The Ford government has previously that it planned to roll out third doses for the general public, based on age and risk factors, starting sometime early in 2022.
Speaking with CP24, Juni conceded that there is still lots to learn about the new variant.
However, he said that it is unlikely that it will be proven to render vaccines completely ineffective.
“It makes sense to assume that any immunity that you have will at least partially protect you. That means that what is important now is to just continue the path that we have went on very successfully and to just continue to vaccinate,” he said. “Get your third doses if you can, get your first or second in any case, all of this thing w would be completely evading the immune system so we are not protected any more against hospital admissions, ICU admissions and death.”
Ontario’s plan for the rollout of third doses states that people will generally only be eligible for a booster shot no earlier than six months after receipt of their second shot.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.