Vulnerable Ontario residents can book COVID-19 booster shots but still no word on a vaccine for children

The Ontario government has announced plans to deliver COVID-19 booster shots to vulnerable populations, but there is still no word on when children ages 5-11 will get their first doses.

Based on the National Advisory Committee on Immunization’s (NACI) recent recommendation, the following vulnerable population will be able to book an appointment if at least six months has passed since their last dose.

Booster shots are available to:

• Individuals aged 70 and over (born in 1951 or earlier);
• Health care workers and designated essential caregivers in congregate settings (including long-term care home and retirement home staff and designated caregivers);
•  Individuals who received a complete series of a viral vector vaccine (two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or one dose of the Janssen vaccine); and
•  First Nation, Inuit and Métis adults and their non-Indigenous household members

Algoma Public Health has clarified that there is not a COVID-19 vaccine approved for use with children ages 5-11, but they are looking into how to make the vaccination process smoother when the approval for these doses comes from Health Canada.

APH has created a survey to inform the planning behind this next vaccine roll-out. 

The results of the survey will remain anonymous.