Third Doses Of A COVID-19 Vaccine Are Available To Even More Ontarians & Here's How To Book

Ontario just announced that even more people across the province will be able to get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine starting this Saturday.

On November 3, Ontario's Ministry of Health revealed its rollout plan for COVID-19 booster doses, which will open eligibility to certain priority groups on November 6. According to the province's briefing deck, this will include anyone over the age of 70, essential caregivers, health care workers who work in congregate settings, and anyone who's received their complete series of AstraZeneca or Janssen vaccines. First Nation, Inuit, and Métis adults and their non-Indigenous household members are also eligible.

Bookings open on Saturday, November 6 at 8:00 a.m. and these are the steps you need to follow if you qualify:

• Call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre right at 8:00 a.m. or visit Ontario's COVID-19 vaccine portal
• Use your local public health unit's booking system
• Hit up a select pharmacy (which you can find via the pharmacy locator)
• If you're a hospital health care worker, contact their employers to get vaccinated directly through their hospital's vaccine program
• Don't call your primary care provider to try and set up an appointment. Though public health units have also partnered up with some primary care practices to administer third doses to help with the community roll-out of vaccines, the government has advised against booking appointments through your primary care provider.

First Nation, Inuit and Métis adults along with their non-Indigenous household members can either go to a mass immunization clinic, pharmacy, pop-up vaxx clinics, or eligible clinics (including Indigenous-led clinics.) Those living in First Nation communities can expect a follow-up effort soon.

Back in August, Ontario became the first province in the country to provide third COVID-19 vaccine doses to immunocompromised groups of people.

So far more than 11 million Ontarians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which means 85% have received their second doses.