Ontario resumes AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses
- Michael Kras
- 21 May 2021
Hamilton residents who have received their first dose of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine will now be able to get their second dose of the same vaccine, as the Ontario government has given the thumbs up to resume administration of the vaccine starting next week.
In fact, those who received the AstraZeneca vaccine may even be able to get those second doses slightly earlier than the 12-week interval for a temporary period of time, with the province attempting to make use of dose supply that would otherwise expire by May 31st.
#BREAKING: Ontario is proceeding with second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, beginning with those who received their first dose between March 10 and March 19 #onpoli
— Laura Stone (@l_stone) May 21, 2021
“Nearly one million Ontarians aged 40 and over received the AstraZeneca vaccine as their first dose between March 10, 2021 and May 11, 2021. Data from the UK strongly suggests a much-reduced risk of VITT in second doses of AstraZeneca – one in 600,000,” reads a release from the province.
“Based on this evidence, the province is committed to ensuring Ontarians who received the AstraZeneca vaccine for their first dose, and who do not receive their second dose at the 10-week interval during the week of May 24th, will have the ability to receive a second dose of AstraZeneca within the recommended interval of 12 weeks.”
Individuals who received their first AstraZeneca doses between March 10th and 19th will be eligible to book their second shot beginning the week of May 24th.
The provincial government says that eligible residents can contact the pharmacy or primary care clinic through which they received their first dose to book their second starting next week.
More details for the rollout of second AstraZeneca doses, particularly within Hamilton’s public health unit, are still to come.
Read the full release here.
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