The Ontario government has announced it is expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines to those 18 years and older in 2021 as of Tuesday morning (May 18) — a week ahead of schedule.
As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, individuals aged 18 and over in 2021 across Ontario will be eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through the provincial booking system at ontario.ca/bookvaccine and the call centre at at 1-833-943-3900.
Originally, those 30 years and older were going to become eligible the week of May 17, with those 18 years and older the following week.
The government says it decided to expand eligibility earlier than planned because 2.2 million doses are scheduled to arrive this week, including doses originally scheduled for next week that are arriving early to accommodate the Victoria Day long weekend.
Youth who are currently 17 years old but turn 18 in 2021 will only be eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, as it is the only COVID-19 vaccine Health Canada has authorized for use in those aged 12 to 17.
As the Pfizer vaccine may not be available at all mass immunization clinics, the provincial booking system will note which clinics are not offering vaccines for those who are 17 years old.
For youth 12 to 17 years of age, individual public health units may choose to also offer the Pfizer vaccine to them in pop-up and mobile clinics, as well as for walk-in appointments. This will include First Nations, Inuit and Métis clinics that offer the Pfizer vaccine.
The province also says it is continuing to work with public health units, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and boards of education to ensure all Ontario youth between 12 and 17 years of age will be eligible to book an appointment through the provincial booking system for their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine beginning the week of May 31.
Eligible family members of youth between 12 and 17 who have not yet received a vaccine will also be eligible to book an appointment.
More than 55 per cent of Ontario’s population aged 18 and over have now received at least one dose and more than 432,000 Ontarians are fully immunized, including 96 per cent of long-term care residents.
