Ontario Pharmacies and Primary Care Settings to Begin Offering COVID-19 Vaccinations

Phased Expansion Continues as the Province Approaches One Million Vaccines Administered

As vaccine supply increases, the Ontario government is expanding the delivery channels available to administer COVID-19 vaccines to include pharmacies and primary care settings. As of Friday, March 12, over 325 pharmacies will be offering the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine to eligible Ontarians aged 60-64, by appointment only, as part of the vaccine delivery pilot program in specific regions.

Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones, and General Rick Hillier (retired), Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force.

“We are about to achieve a major milestone in our battle against COVID-19, by the end of the day we expect to reach the one million mark for doses administered and continue to lead the country in vaccinations completed,” said Premier Ford. “But we are just ramping up and mobilizing even more members of Team Ontario in our pharmacies and primary care settings. We have a plan to get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible in order to keep people safe and we will do that as long as we have a steady supply from the federal government.”

With the arrival of 194,500 doses of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine, select pharmacies will begin booking appointments starting today, March 10, 2021, in three public health unit regions: Toronto, Windsor-Essex, and Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. The vaccine rollout will be expanded to more pharmacies in other regions of the province as supply increases.

All vaccinations available through pharmacies will require an appointment to be made in advance. Eligible adults aged 60-64 (as defined by year of birth between 1957-1961), who are interested in booking an appointment, can visit ontario.ca/pharmacycovidvaccine to find a participating pharmacy and can contact the pharmacy to make an appointment.

To ramp up capacity for vaccination, the province is working with primary care professionals to offer vaccinations in primary care settings and community locations, such as physician offices, in collaboration with public health units. This initiative will begin in Hamilton, Toronto, Guelph, Peterborough, Simcoe-Muskoka, and Peel as of Saturday March 13, 2021. Primary care providers will not be taking appointments by request but will be contacting eligible Ontarians aged 60-64 directly to book an appointment starting today, March 10, 2021. They will only be offering the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine at this time.

“Ontario’s vaccine rollout is a true team effort and we are thankful for the support of our dedicated frontline health care providers in as we advance through each phase,” said Minister Elliott. “Together we are continuing to build capacity to ensure every Ontarian who wants a vaccine can get one as quickly and safely as possible.”

“Today’s announcement further underlines our commitment to make vaccines available to Ontarians as quickly and efficiently as possible,” noted Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “Opening up new channels to deliver the vaccine, through trusted health care partners like pharmacies and primary care providers, will enable us to reach even more people and we appreciate the effort to help make this happen.”

The Ontario government is preparing to move into Phase Two of its COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan next month, with a focus on vaccinating populations based on age and risk. Vaccinations continue to be offered to eligible populations at hospitals, mobile clinics and mass immunization clinics. Mass immunization clinics are a significant delivery channel to administer Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Over 120 mass immunization clinics are planned to open this month across Ontario in addition to sites already open, increasing the province’s vaccine administration capacity to over 150,000 doses per day, dependent on supply.

“Rolling out the pilot with pharmacy and primary care providers will enable us to prepare and refine our mass vaccine distribution plan for the months ahead,” said General (Ret’d) Rick Hillier. “This a significant step in our progress to make vaccines available to all Ontarians. As we enter Phase Two, we are ready and well positioned with our public health partners to open mass vaccination sites and increase our capacity as more and more vaccines arrive each week.”

Phase One of Ontario’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout is nearing completion, with nearly one million doses administered and over 279,000 Ontarians fully immunized. Approximately 88 per cent of long-term care residents are fully immunized and public health units continue to prioritize vaccinating staff and essential caregivers.

The province will launch an online booking system and a provincial customer service desk on March 15. These supports will help to answer questions and book appointments at mass immunization clinics, starting with those over the age of 80.

Quick Facts

As of March 12, over 325 pharmacy sites, including Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall and independent pharmacies, will offer the AstraZeneca vaccine to eligible Ontarians 60-64 in Toronto, Windsor-Essex, and Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington. To book an appointment, eligible Ontarians can visit ontario.ca/pharmacycovidvaccine to find a participating pharmacy and can contact the pharmacy to book an appointment.
Health Canada approved the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine on February 26 for use in adults 18 years of age and older. The AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine will be offered to Ontario to eligible individuals aged 60-64 first, with informed consent including discussion about current vaccine options, information about efficacy, and the timing of future vaccine options.
On March 5, Health Canada also approved the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine for use in adults 18 years of age and over. Further details on Ontario’s distribution of this single-dose vaccine will be released shortly, pending guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and more information from the federal government about provincial allocations.
For the month of March, Ontario is expecting to receive 1,454,310 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 483,700 doses of the Moderna vaccine.
If you’re aged 80 or older and you do not live in a congregate care setting, you may be able to book a vaccine appointment through your public health unit. Find your public health unit and contact them for information.

Quotes

“Ontario’s pharmacists are proud to support the Ontario government in the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Our pharmacy professionals are ready to support a safe and effective vaccination campaign that provides Ontarians with greater access and convenience working closely with all health care providers. “
– Justin Bates
CEO, Ontario Pharmacists Association

“Ontario’s doctors are committed to getting as many Ontarians vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible and are pleased the government has recognized the value they bring, both in terms of experience with other vaccines and their trusted doctor-patient relationships. We thank Minister Elliott and the government for making this happen and look forward to working with them to make the rollout as efficient as possible. “
– Dr. Samantha Hill
President, Ontario Medical Association

Additional Resources

Ontario Ready to Rollout Phase Two of COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plan
Ontario Administers over Half a Million Doses of COVID-19 Vaccines
Ontario to Vaccinate up to 8.5 Million People in Phase Two
For up-to-date information on the populations currently eligible for vaccination and instructions on how to book an appointment when you are eligible, visit Ontario’s vaccine webpage.
Visit Ontario’s website to learn more about how the province continues to protect the people of Ontario from COVID-19.

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Author: Pete Fisher

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