More Simcoe County residents can book a second COVID-19 vaccine dose
Starting Monday, Simcoe County residents who received the AstraZeneca vaccine can book their second shot eight weeks after getting their first dose.
Previously the Ontario government had set a 12-week minimum wait for people who received AstraZeneca.
"We need to get people fully immunized if we're going to fight the delta variant," says Dr. Sohail Gandhi, the past president of the Ontario Medical Association who now practices in Stayner. "So this is really huge, and I'm really glad to see it, and frankly, I'm glad to see that we've got the supply of vaccines to do it."
People can also choose if they want a second dose of AstraZeneca or switch to Pfizer or Moderna.
Eligible people can book COVID-19 vaccine appointments through the provincial booking system or local health units.
The team at Pro-Health Pharmacy in Barrie says its phone lines were busy this morning, with many eager to rebook their second dose.
"So currently, we are giving Moderna vaccines," says pharmacist Shamshad Mansuri. "But I just got a fax today that I'll be getting more doses of Astrazeneca as well, so the people who got Astrazeneca they will have an option to choose either-or."
Also, as of Monday morning, second does appointments are being escalated in seven regions in the province where the highly transmissible delta variant is circulating. One of those is York Region, where new pop-up clinics are being planned in order to meet demand.
"The uptake has been phenomenal," says Dr. Karim Kurji, the medical officer of health for York Region.
"We have already vaccinated almost 20 per cent of individuals for their second doses."
This morning there were approximately 18,600 new appointments available in York Region. However, the website had more than 28,000 concurrent users.
Meanwhile, Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston is reducing the hours of its COVID-19 assessment centre from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Ontario recorded another 530 cases of COVID-19 yesterday.
With files from the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.