Ontario to expand COVID-19 vaccine to 18 and older on Tuesday

Ontario is expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to everyone 18 and older starting Tuesday.

Vaccine eligibility was due to open to 30 and older this week.

In a news release Monday morning, the province says it’s ahead of schedule and will be opening up booking to Ontario residents 18 and older starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday.

People who are turning 18 in 2021 will be eligible to book an appointment for the Pfizer vaccine, which is the only one authorized by Health Canada for young people 12 and older.

Residents between 12 and 17 years of age will be eligible to book an appointment beginning the week of May 31.

But the province says local health units can decide to vaccine that age group in pop-ups, mobile clinics and clinics where walk-ins are available as of May 18.

This comes after a milestone weekend for the province.

Premier Doug Ford tweeted yesterday that seven million doses of vaccine had been administered in Ontario.

Ontario has now administered over 7 MILLION doses of the #COVID19 vaccine. Thank you to the incredible work of our public health units, hospitals, pharmacies and other health care partners.

Find out when you will eligible to book your appointment: https://t.co/JYn1l8DITO

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 16, 2021

RELATED STORY: Canada expecting 4.5M COVID-19 vaccine doses this week