COVID-19 vaccine pilot at some Ontario pharmacies to begin next week with Oxford-AstraZeneca – Global News

Ontario says pharmacies in three public heath units, including Toronto, will begin giving out COVID-19 vaccines next week.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says many of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine doses expected to arrive in the province will go to the pharmacies for the pilot program.

Canada received 500,000 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca this week and Ontario has said those doses will be given to people between the ages of 60 and 64.

Elliott says the province is currently updating its vaccine rollout, based on the expected Oxford-AstraZeneca doses as well as a national panel’s recommendation that the interval between vaccine shots can be stretched to four months.

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She says the updated immunization plan will be shared “imminently.”

The Ontario Pharmacists Association says the vaccination pilot will begin with approximately 380 pharmacies in Toronto, Kingston and Windsor-Essex health units.

CEO Justin Bates says pharmacies will use their own booking systems to make appointments, likely starting with people between the ages of 60 and 64, and the program will eventually scale up.

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