Ontario announced at a press conference Thursday that due to an increased number of doses expected to arrive from both Pfizer and Moderna, it anticipates that all Ontarians over 18 will be eligible to register for their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by May 24.
Ontario is expecting to receive 800,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine in early May with an increase of 940,000 doses per week by the end of the month.
The ramped up schedule means that the province could continue lowering the age threshold at mass immunization clinics on a weekly basis.
On April 30 starting at 8:00 a.m. adults aged 55 or older can book a vaccination appointment through the provincial booking system.
Officials are hoping to lower the age requirement to age 50 during the week of May 3, age 40 during the week of May 10 until the threshold is lowered to anyone over 18 by May 24.
On the weeks of May 3 and May 10, half of the vaccines will be allocated to those living in designated hot spots with vaccines being administered through mobile and pop-up clinics.
“The belief is that by doing this for two weeks, very aggressively, not taking any vaccine away from the existing other public health units, we can actually really beat down the positivity rates within those communities and ultimately, help all of Ontario get back to normal,” Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said.
On Thursday the province reported more than 3,800 new COVID-19 cases and 41 more deaths.
Officials said that variants of concern now account for 90 per cent of all new cases in Ontario.
The seven-day rolling average is now 3,810 (down from 4,176 last week) with a positivity rate of 7.6 per cent.
As of Thursday 363,403 people have received both doses and are considered fully vaccinated.
To book an appointment through the provincial booking system visit Lambton Public Health.
