TORONTO – Starting tomorrow, all adults living in Ontario’s 114 hotspots will be able to book their Covid-19 vaccination. It begins, in the province, what could be the week of the turning point in the mass immunization campaign, with the progressive increase in vaccine supplies and the consequent lowering of personal data requirements in order to receive the first dose. In the next seven days, in fact, about 800 thousand doses of the Pfizer vaccine will arrive in Ontario: the same amount will be sent to the province every week for the month of May, while in June supplies will undergo a further surge. The provincial government, also from tomorrow, will strengthen the strategy of targeted interventions in those areas of Ontario where contagion runs at a faster rate. About 50% of the doses that will come from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca will in fact be destined for the 114 hotspots identified by the health authorities.

“With additional supply, our government is increasing access to the COVID-19 vaccines in the communities hardest hit by COVID-19,” said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Continuing to focus on getting vaccines in the arms of those most at risk will help to stop the spread of COVID-19 in these communities, protect our hospital capacity and save lives. I continue to urge everyone to sign up to receive the vaccine as soon as it’s your turn.”

Also from tomorrow, the minimum age will be lowered in all areas of the province in order to make the reservation of the first dose of the vaccine: it goes from 55 years to 50. Starting next Monday, however, all residents who are at least 40 years old will be able to access the provincial portal to get vaccinated.

Then there will be a new progressive lowering of the minimum age: from May 17, all citizens aged 30 and over will be vaccinated, from May 24, finally, all adults in all regions of Ontario will have access to covid-19 vaccination.

Meanwhile, in Ontario and Toronto, the threshold of 40% vaccinated in the eligible population has been exceeded.

As far as supplies and stocks are concerned, yesterday’s figures also confirm that, after the difficulties of recent weeks, the logistic-organizational machine has become more efficient.

According to covid19tracker.ca, up to this point, Ontario health authorities have been given 5,644,975 doses, of which 5,324,369 doses were administered, (76,685 yesterday), or 94.3 percent.