TORONTO — Family doctors in Ontario say they want to be more involved in the province's COVID-19 vaccination effort.
The Ontario College of Family Physicians says a recent survey found 60 per cent of vaccine-hesitant respondents were more likely to get immunized if a family doctor endorsed and administered their shot.
Dr. Liz Muggah, president of the group, says it's in the public interest to have family doctors more involved in giving out the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Moderna shots, which have less stringent storage requirements.
Some family physicians in Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton, Guelph, Peterborough and Simcoe-Muskoka are offering Oxford-AstraZeneca shots to patients aged 60 and older as part of a pilot project.
There have also been calls for family doctors to be more involved in helping vaccinate seniors who can't access mass immunization sites.
Health Minister Christine Elliott says more vaccine supply will be sent to primary care physicians in the future, though she did not provide specifics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2021.
The Canadian Press