What you need to know about second doses
The province announced Friday that second doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be moved up, starting with people 80 and older next week.
The strategy to stretch out second shots to 16 weeks — past the recommended 21 days for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna — began earlier this spring in an attempt to get as many people as possible some protection.
But now that there’s more supply, as long as it holds up, the province is predicting everyone who wants a vaccine will have both shots by the end of summer.
So what does that mean for you?
The Star breaks down some of your burning second-dose questions.
When can I get mine?
According to the time frame presented at a provincial press conference Friday, those turning 70 and up will be eligible to start booking their second doses of Pfizer or Moderna on June 14.
Those who got the first dose of these vaccines from March 8 to April 18 (including people with the highest-risk health conditions and special education workers) can start booking June 28.
People who got the first dose from April 19 to May 9 (including everyone 50-plus and those with high-risk health conditions) can start booking on July 19, and those who got it from May 10 to May 30 (including people who can’t work from home and those with at-risk health conditions), on Aug. 2.
Those receiving a first dose from May 31 on can begin booking on Aug. 9, as well as kids and youth aged 12 to 25.
It will be a 12-week interval between shots for those who got a first dose of AstraZeneca from March 21 onwards, based on first-dose timing.
A few groups, including those in long-term care, Indigenous people and some health-care workers, were already eligible for a sooner second dose.
So how do I rebook?
People 80 and up (born in 1941 or earlier) can rebook appointments for second doses through the provincial portal ontario.ca/bookvaccine or the hotline 1-833-943-3900, starting Monday.
You would have automatically received a second-dose appointment if you booked through this system for the first shot; it will be cancelled if you book a new one, according to the province.
But you can keep the original appointment if you prefer.
What if I got the first dose at a hospital, family doctor or pharmacy?
You are encouraged to return to the same site for the second dose, said Alexandra Hilkene, spokesperson for Health Minister Christine Elliott, in an email. You can contact your pharmacy or family doctor directly if you’re eligible for the accelerated second dose. But if that’s not possible or convenient, you can go through another channel.
Many GTA hospitals, including University Health Network (Toronto General and Toronto Western), Sunnybrook, Michael Garron, Humber River, Unity Health (St. Joseph’s and St. Michael’s), Scarborough Health Network, North York General, and Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga, are reaching out directly to people 80 and up who had first doses at their clinics to confirm new second-shot appointments.
This may be by text, email or call, so watch that junk-mail folder. Check the hospital websites for more details.
“We will not be open to walkins as we have the capability of contacting individuals and anticipate that our clinics will be full next week,” UHN spokesperson Gillian Howard said in an email.
“We ask that people do not call or go in to the vaccination clinics to request a second dose,” added Unity Health spokesperson Jennifer Stranges.
If I book through the provincial portal tomorrow, when will my second dose appointment be?
You will be automatically booked for a second dose at the original four-month interval, and when you become eligible to get the sooner second dose you can reschedule, Hilkene said.
What about pop-up clinics?
Asked about this at the press conference Friday, Elliott said everyone who got first doses at pop-ups is in the COVAX system, and you will be contacted when it’s your turn.
But you know the date you got the first shot, so you can also book through the online portal or hotline (when you’re eligible).
Pop-up clinics are not open to the general public for second doses right now.
Hilkene said more information will follow on the seconddose process for those who got first shots through pop-ups, family doctors, or with a health unit using its own booking system.
What if I got my first dose in another province or country?
You can book a second dose (if you’re eligible), without having booked a first dose in the provincial system, Hilkene said.
“We hope the federal government will implement a process to track Canadians, including Ontarians, who have been vaccinated outside of Canada,” she added.
“In the meantime, we will be relying on their proof of vaccine to support booking a second appointment in the province when the time comes for these individuals to receive their second dose.”