City partners with agencies to help those without OHIP book COVID-19 vaccinations

The City of Toronto announced on Friday it’s partnering with FCJ Refugee Centre and Access Alliance to help people without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card get the COVID-19 vaccine in Toronto.

The announcement comes after those without OHIP cards have reported hitting massive roadblocks and confusion when trying to book an appointment, even if they fall into the eligible categories to get vaccinated.

But Ontario has clearly stated that if you do not have an OHIP card at all, you are still eligible for the vaccine.

“Every single resident of Toronto – no matter where you live, what language you speak, or what status you have – needs access to a vaccine,” Toronto Board of Health Chair Joe Cressy said in a statement.

“To beat this pandemic, we must be all in this together. Always. These new partnerships represent one more important step towards a successful immunization campaign and the end of this pandemic.”

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RELATED:

• Vaccination without OHIP not possible through provincial portal; TPH working on ‘low barrier’ process

• Guide to booking a COVID-19 vaccine in the GTA: Who, where and how

• Ontarians 55+ eligible for mass vaccination clinics, Pfizer in hot spot pharmacies

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Residents without OHIP cards who meet vaccine eligibility criteria can get help booking an appointment at a City-operated immunization clinic by contacting:

FCJ Refugee Centre

• Telephone: 416-469-9754 ext. 230 and 232; WhatsApp: 437-217-3786 (Monday to Friday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• Email: vaccine@fcjrefugeecentre.org
• In-person booking (by appointment only) at 208 Oakwood Avenue
• Phone interpretation services are available as needed

 

Access Alliance

• Telephone: 416-760-8677
  – Monday, Tuesday, Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  – Wednesday: 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  – Thursday: 12:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• In person booking (by appointment only) at 761 Jane Street location
• Phone interpretation services are available as needed

 

Toronto Public Health Hotline

• Telephone: 416-338-7600; TTY: 416-392-0658 (8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily)

 

Residents without an OHIP card may use other forms of identification to book their COVID-19 vaccination appointment through agency partners, including a driver’s licence, passport, piece of registered mail, pay stub or student card.

Government-issued identification from other jurisdictions and countries, including a passport, driver’s license or health card may also be used, even if they are expired.

Residents without an OHIP card can also book their COVID-19 vaccination appointment through hospitals and Ontario Health Team-led clinics.

Personal information collected when making a COVID-19 vaccine appointment does not include a home address.

Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccination program requires the creation of a health record which includes a person’s full name, age, gender and either a phone number or e-mail address.

Residents who are eligible to receive a vaccine that do not have an OHIP card may use other forms of ID to book a #COVID19 vaccination appointment through agency partners.

Get assistance booking an appointment at a City-operated immunization clinic: https://t.co/UIGXVni2vb pic.twitter.com/8s4y2MqBrm

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) April 30, 2021

Personal health information cannot be used for other purposes without the person’s consent, except as required by law in accordance with the Personal Health Information Protection Act.

The City states additional agencies are expected to start offering the service in the near future.

The announcement also comes as the Ford government revealed a sizeable increase in vaccine doses from Pfizer for May throughout June.

The province adjusted its vaccine rollout to account for the influx of these Pfizer shipments, projecting the age of eligibility for a COVID-19 vaccine will lower every week in May.

At this rate, the province projects everyone aged 18-and-older will be able to book a vaccine appointment through Ontario’s online portal by the week of May 24.

Ontario will send half its available COVID-19 vaccines to hot spots in the first two weeks of May to help fight the virus in those hard-hit regions, including hotspot communities.

“COVID-19 doesn’t care if you have an OHIP card or not. This virus can infect anyone and then can be spread to anyone else they come in contact with,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said in statement.