All Ontario adults will be eligible for booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday, as the provincial government said it was "pulling out all the stops" in its efforts to confront the Omicron variant.
The province will also cut the interval between second and third doses in half, to 84 days, Premier Doug Ford announced at a Wednesday press conference.
He also highlighted new measures including renewed capacity limits for large venues, and a "holiday testing blitz" to offer more rapid tests in schools and stores.
Those 18 and older will be eligible Monday at 8 a.m. to book booster shots through the provincial system, health units, select pharmacies, and primary care providers. Those who were already eligible for boosters can also re-book their appointments given the shorter interval.
Ford urged Ontarians to “roll up your sleeves one more time," calling boosters the best defense against a COVID-19 resurgence. Early evidence indicates a booster shot provides increased protection against severe outcomes from the virus, according to chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore.
“Nothing matters more than getting third shots into arms," Ford said Wednesday, less than a week after his government announced those under 50 would wait until January for boosters.
The change of heart came after seeing indications the Omicron variant, believed to be much more transmissible, was leading to a new wave of infections that could once again threaten the province's hospital capacity, Ford said.
The 1,808 new cases announced Wednesday in Ontario marked the highest single-day total since May, while the seven-day average is up by around 50 per cent from last week.
“While ICU admissions currently remain stable, we do expect those numbers to rise” in the coming weeks as Omicron spreads, particularly among the unvaccinated, Ford said.
Omicron is expected to be the dominant variant in Ontario by the end of the month, the government said.
The premier also announced a return to 50 per cent capacity limits at venues with capacity to hold over 1,000 people, which will apply to sports and concert venues, theatres and cinemas, casinos, museums, and more as of Saturday.
Ford suggested the government was looking to avoid imposing more public health restrictions in its fight against Omicron.
“We aren’t going to lock down the system to try to get out of this," he said. "Get vaccinated – that is the best defense against this.”
Ontarians will also have expanded access to rapid antigen tests, with the province planning to hand out up to two million take-home test kits at malls, libraries, transit hubs, and stores, including the LCBO. Another 11 million tests will be distributed through schools in the run-up to the holiday break.
More information about the availability of rapid tests is available on a new government website.
Moore said Wednesday said the more accurate PCR tests will continue to be prioritized for those with COVID-19 symptoms, especially those in congregate settings like long-term care homes, schools, and jails.
