TORONTO – Ontario pushes on the accelerator. The bogeyman of the Omicron variant – which is spreading like wildfire all over the world – and the number of infections jumped today to 959 have pushed the provincial government to expand the eligibility to receive the booster dose to a greater number of people. 

Starting from December 13, therefore, anyone aged 50 and over who received his second dose of Covid-19 vaccine six months ago or more will be able to book a third appointment as well as a larger group of immunocompromised people. This is what Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore said today during a press conference.

Since today, patients on renal dialysis, recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, as well as “hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT), hematopoietic cell transplants (HCT) (autologous or allogeneic) and recipients of CAR-T cell therapy” will be able to book a third dose of vaccine. A further expansion of eligibility will come in the new year. “Beginning in January, Ontario will further expand eligibility for booster doses based on age and risk, with an interval of six to eight months from the second dose,” Moore said.

Dr. Moore added that “vaccination clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and doctors’ offices in the province have the possibility and supply of vaccines to administer the third dose to all over 50 but not to the entire adult population at this time.” “We have made sure that in the next 2 weeks these people can come forward together with children between five and 11 years old – he said – if all the appointments made available are not set we could decide to include other age groups,” Moore said.

Last month, the provincial government updated its plan for administering booster doses. As of November 6, appointments for the third dose were opened on the provincial booking site to individuals aged 70 and over, healthcare professionals, people who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine or other vaccines with viral vectors, immunocompromised individuals and all indigenous peoples of the province.

Already in recent weeks Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a specialist in infectious diseases at Toronto General Hospital, has repeatedly stated that the province should have considered administering the booster dose to the over 50s. “I think this decision by the government is a wise decision,” Bogoch said today.

Justin Bates, president of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, says that because age groups were given the first and second doses based on a staggered approach, the government should open eligibility to all residents aged 12 years and older and gradually administer the third dose based on when individuals received the second injection. “This will allow us to do this in a staggered manner, manage supply and demand and make sure that everyone has optimal immunity and effectiveness against variants because immunity will decrease after six months, we know this from current data and that’s why boosters are so important,” he said.