Ontario speeds up second vaccine doses for residents of Delta hot spots

Ontario is speeding up second COVID-19 vaccine doses for residents who live in hot spots where the Delta variant of the virus is spreading.

The hot spots that will be prioritized are Halton, Peel, Porcupine, Toronto, Waterloo, York and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph.

The province says residents who live in seven hot spots and got their first dose on or before May 9 can now book an accelerated second shot as of Monday.

This does not apply to those who got AstraZeneca as a first shot. These residents will still have to wait the 12-week interval.

The government will also be encouraging residents of those areas who haven’t had their first doses to get vaccinated.

Scientific evidence shows people with one vaccine dose are less protected against the highly infectious Delta variant.

Health authorities also reported that Ontario has become one of the world’s leaders in terms of first-dose vaccination rates.