Second doses accelerated in Waterloo Region, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph due to concerns over Delta variant: province
People who received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose before May 9 in Waterloo Region and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph will be able to get a second dose early, according to the Ministry of Health.
At a press conference on Thursday, officials with the province said the schedule change is due to concerns over spread of the Delta variant, the B.1.617 variant first identified in India.
Accelerated second doses appointments will also be available in Halton, Peel, Porcupine, Toronto and York.
As of Friday, there were 19 confirmed cases of the Delta variant in Waterloo Region, but health officials believe there are more based on current trends.
On Friday morning, regional officials said people can fill out an online form starting Monday to get an earlier second dose appointment.
The Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph health unit says their booking system will be ready by Monday morning, with second dose appointments depending on which vaccine was received as a first dose and when it was given.
"You'll only be able to get a second dose if it's been three weeks since Pfizer, four weeks since Moderna, or twelve weeks since AstraZeneca," said associate medical officer of health Dr. Matthew Tenenbaum.
Vaccine expert and professor at the University of Waterloo Kelly Grinrod said getting the second jab is essential amid the growing threat of the Delta variant.
"The first dose of the vaccine doesn't work as well as it did for the older variants, so we really need a second dose of the vaccine to protect you against the Delta Variant," she said.
Most of the AstraZeneca vaccines administered in Waterloo Region on or before May 9 were at local pharmacies. Grinrod says pharmacists are now overwhelmed with questions about second doses.
"Patients can't get through, they can't get any work done, they are having a hard time balancing the phone calls and vaccinating people," she said.
Grinrod recommends checking for information online instead of calling a pharmacy with questions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.