COVID-19 vaccine: Ontario is speeding up eligibility for second doses and “the majority of those who want them will be fully immunized by the end of summer”. And the schools will remain closed, Ontario’s premier Doug Ford said at a press conference on Friday morning.

“We’re all getting one step closer to returning to normal,” Ford said.

Those aged 80 and older will be the first group able to book an accelerated appointment for a second shot starting the week of May 31. It will then expand to those 70 and above in mid-June.  After that point, the province will shift to a “first-in, first-out” strategy, in which all Ontarians will be able to book an appointment for their second dose depending on when they had a first (here the complete explanation document, with all useful informations, provided by Ontario’s Governmment: ontario-vaccine-implementation-update-may-28).

Depending on local supply and the availability of appointments, some could get a second dose sooner than the 16-week interval introduced earlier this year to get more first doses into arms. Getting a second shot earlier is entirely optional, as those who want to keep an appointment that is already scheduled can do so. Administration of second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine will remain at 12 weeks, though it will also run under the “first-in, first-out” approach.

About the schools’ reopenings (Ontario students were moved to remote learning in mid-April), Doug Ford says he stands behind his decision to seek guidance from others as to whether or not schools should be reopened in the province amid the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ford’s stance comes despite admitting his chief medical officer of health supports the decision to reopen schools, despite modelling suggesting the province could see an increase in cases by six to 11 per cent. However, the province’s science advisory table has said that increase would be “manageable.” “… That could equal to thousands of cases. Folks, do you want to go backwards again? … I want to make sure looking forward, we are able to get the kids into camp. I want to look forward and make sure we have a great September for kids to go back into school and this could affect our opening as well,” Ford said at the press conference with Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, and Solicitor General Sylvia Jones.

“I want to make sure all the t’s are crossed, all the I’s are dotted. And I’m going to be super cautious over a couple of extra days. Folks, it’s well worth it, getting a consensus from everybody” he added.  “This is a big, big decision folks. We’re talking for the next few weeks kids are going to go to school and I want to make sure the kids are safe, I want to make sure the teacher are safe”.

Watch the whole video of the press conference, click play here below