Ontario expands vaccine eligibility for essential workers, higher-risk health conditions

Ontario is expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility across the province this week to residents 40 and older, essential workers and those with higher-risk health issues as it continues to expand its rollout.

Starting on Tuesday at 8 a.m., individuals with health conditions deemed “at risk” and Group Two of people who cannot work from home can begin booking through the province’s online booking portal.

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Group Two essential workers eligible as of May 10

• Essential and critical retail workers (including grocery, foodbank, pharmacy, ServiceOntario, ServiceCanada, Passport Canada, wholesalers and general goods, restaurant, LCBO workers)
• Workers in manufacturing industries directly involved in supporting the COVID-19covid 19 response, construction (including infrastructure) and other essential businesses and services where facilities are at heightened risk for COVID-19covid 19 outbreaks and spread
• Social workers and social services staff who provide in-person client services (including youth justice workers, Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program case workers)
• Courts and justice system workers (including probation and parole workers)
• Transportation, warehousing and distribution workers (including public transit workers, truck drivers supporting essential services, marine and rail cargo and maintenance, highway maintenance)
• Electricity (including system operations, generation, transmission, distribution and storage workers)
• Communications infrastructure workers (including cellular, satellite, landline, internet, public safety radio)
• Water and wastewater management workers
• Financial services workers (bank branch staff)
• Veterinarians and veterinary teams
• Waste management workers
• Oil and petroleum workers (including petroleum refineries, crude oil and petroleum storage, transmission and distribution, retail sale of fuel)
• Natural gas and propane gas workers (including compression, storage, transmission and distribution of natural gas and propane)
• Mine workers (including those needed to ensure the continued operation of active mines)
• Uranium processing workers (those working in the refining and conversion of uranium and fabrication of fuel for nuclear power plants)

 

At-risk health conditions eligible as of May 10

• Immune deficiencies and autoimmune disorders
• Stroke and cerebrovascular disease
• Dementia
• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• All other cancers
• Respiratory diseases, such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy
• Spleen problems, such as asplenia
• Heart disease
• Hypertension with end organ damage
• Diagnosed mental disorder
• Substance use disorders
• Sickle cell disease
• Thalassemia
• Immunocompromising health conditions
• Other disabilities requiring direct support care in the community

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On Thursday morning at 8 a.m., residents aged 40 and older will also become eligible to book.

In addition, due to increased vaccine supply the province is adding high-risk health care workers, dialysis patients, and all First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals to the list of those eligible to book their appointment to receive a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine earlier than the extended four-month interval.

“Ontario is responding to an increase in vaccine supply by ramping up its rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and expanding eligibility,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “While these latest steps forward are encouraging, we must continue to do all we can to save lives and reduce hospitalization by staying home and following public health measures.”

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RELATED:

• Canada to get 2M Pfizer vaccine doses as provinces expand rollouts

• GTA regions ramping up COVID-19 vaccinations this week

• 18+ pop-up vaccination clinics in Toronto today

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Half of vaccine supply is being diverted to COVID-19 hot spots this week, based on the recommendation of the province’s scientific advisers.

Starting next week, vaccines are set to be distributed per capita once again.

Over the weekend, hundreds of pharmacies in COVID-19 hot spots began offering Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots to people aged 18 and over.

The province of Ontario says it is on track to administer first doses to 65 per cent of adults by the end of May.