TORONTO — Ontarians can now start booking appointments to receive the new bivalent COVID-19 booster dose.
Boosters are available immediately to members of vulnerable groups, and will be available to everyone else 18 and over starting Sept. 26.
Appointments can be booked through the COVID-19 vaccination portal or by calling the provincial vaccine contact centre at 1-833-943-3900.
Eligible individuals can also book directly through those public health units that are using their own booking systems, Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, participating health care providers and participating pharmacies.
Vulnerable groups eligible as of Monday morning include people 70 years of age and older, residents of long-term care homes and retirement homes, Indigenous people and their household members, moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals 12 and over, pregnant individuals 18 and over, and health care workers 18 and over.
To prioritize distribution to these groups, new booster appointments for Ontarians 18 and over will be paused until Sept. 26.
However, to allow for planning and preparation, anyone 18 and over not belonging to a priority group can start booking appointments now.
The government said availability will be based on shipment schedules and supply from the federal government.
All previously-booked booster appointments for Sept. 12 to 25 will be honoured, and – if available – the bivalent vaccine will be provided.
Individuals may receive the bivalent booster at the recommended interval of at least six months from their previous dose, regardless of how many boosters they have already received.
"The bivalent COVID-19 booster is a safe and effective way for people to better protect themselves against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variants in Ontario," said Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario's chief medical officer of health.
