TORONTO – Today, in Ontario stricter public health measures returned, with lower capacity limits in restaurants and social gatherings. Premier Doug Ford announced the new restrictions on Friday, saying the Omicron variant is so contagious that it threatens to “overwhelm the healthcare system.” 

For this reason, restaurants, gyms and many other indoor environments now have a capacity limit of 50%. No more than 10 people can attend indoor social gatherings (instead of 25), and there is a maximum of 25 attendees at outdoor social gatherings, a drastic drop from the previous limit of 100. And cinemas, arenas and other large locals can no longer serve food or drinks.

The province has also stepped up its vaccine booster campaign against Covid-19: starting tomorrow, in fact, all Ontario citizens over the age of 18 can sign up to receive the “booster”, the third dose of vaccine for which the obligation to wait six months from the second one has also lapsed: now three months are enough.

Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieren Moore said a third dose strategy is critical, given the rate at which the Omicron variant is spreading. But the response of the provincial government does not seem as quick, given that, despite the launch of the “booster campaign” from tomorrow, the disorganization is almost total: it is practically impossible, in fact, to make an appointment to have the third dose.

Virtually none of the structures that should distribute it (pharmacies, shopping centers, etc.) is able to make an appointment quickly. “Waitlist” everywhere (as in the pic above). Without certain response times.

According to the provincial government, residents can book their “booster” through the Ontario vaccine portal https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ but only a very few have managed to do so: the site was literally stormed and all administration points are in fact already “full”.

Even those who were already eligible last week, struggled not a little (who did) to make the call: long queues in the cold, even for hours (in the pic below).

Meanwhile, the third dose also raises discussions on another front: from now on, since in fact everyone can receive the third dose, who will be considered fully vaccinated? Who has had two doses or who has already received three?

Currently, the term “fully vaccinated” still refers to an individual who has received the primary two-dose series of Covid-19 vaccine, but discussions are already underway to potentially redefine what it means to be “fully vaccinated”.

“Now – Dr. Kieren Moore says – we are encouraging all those who are currently eligible for the third dose to take it. Then, we will follow the immune response to the third dose itself against the Omicron variant, to understand which immunologically is the best protection, and this – he announces – could change the definition of who is completely immunized”.

But, given the timing that promises for the distribution of third doses, it is probably a problem that will arise only in months.