Ontario to set up vaccine bookings

Adults 80 and older, seniors in congregate care

TORONTO • Ontario is developing a web portal for booking COVID-19 vaccine appointments when mass immunization is underway, but experts said Monday that more details of the province's plan are needed to ensure vulnerable residents don't fall through the cracks.

The Ministry of Health said Monday that Ontario is developing an online site for vaccine appointments, while a customer service desk will also eventually be available for those not comfortable using the web portal.

A spokeswoman said the scheduling software was launched “in pilot mode” in January and work is underway to have more of it in use at the end of February or in early March.

“These processes `frontend' the scheduling system ... to provide a path to booking an appointment based on the province's eligibility framework,” said Alexandra Hilkene, a spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott.

The booking system will be part of the province's vaccine rollout, which on Sunday was updated to identify adults aged 80 and older, seniors in congregate care and Indigenous adults among those next in line for a shot.

Hilkene noted that planning is underway for how adults 80 years of age and older will be vaccinated.

Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, said he was “elated” to see the vaccine priority list updated to include those over 80.

According to Health Canada, nearly 70 per cent of deaths from COVID-19 have been people aged 80 and older. Many of Sinha's patients are part of that age demographic, and he said he's been inundated with emails from patients and their families asking the same question: “How is this going to work?”

“That's the million-dollar question,” Sinha said by phone Monday.

While some younger seniors may be comfortable making appointments online, Sinha noted many in their 80s and older struggle with technology or may be physically unable to travel to mass vaccination sites now being developed by public health units. Others do not speak English or French as a first language.

Sinha suggested using the networks of paramedics, nurses and physicians, and teams that already have experience performing community vaccinations.

Dr. Jeff Kwong was part of a team that administered vaccinations in long-term care homes and said vaccinating seniors in their homes, as opposed to making them travel to clinics, should be considered.

“Sometimes it's the best way because these people may not be able to leave their home very easily,” Kwong said by phone Monday.