Timetable for second vaccine doses changes

nnMORRISBURG – Second doses of vaccines will happen sooner than 16 weeks from your first dose. Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced today (May 28) that due to increased supply of approved COVID-19 vaccines, people will be able to move up their second dose sooner.nnThe province is emulating its phased approach for offering first doses, as it shortens the time between doses. Beginning May 31, people age 80 and older can modify their second dose appointments, booking their second dose sooner.nn”Having made so much progress administering first doses, we are now in a position to begin delivering second doses for a two-dose summer,” said Ford at Queen’s Park in Toronto Friday. “If we receive more vaccines from the federal government, we’ll be able to accelerate our rollout further to offer more protection to Ontarians even sooner.”nnThe move comes a week after the province opened vaccinations to youth between age 12 and 17 years old.nnPeople age 70 and older will be able to re-book their second dose beginning June 14.nnBoth the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have a recommended dose interval of 28 days. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended increasing the time between first and second doses from four weeks to 16 weeks due to supply issues in March. Since then, both companies have increased supply to Canada.nnTo re-book a COVID-19 vaccine, people can visit the provincial booking site at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ or call 1-833-943-3900.nnLocal numbers updatennAcross the Eastern Ontario Health Unit region, COVID-19 infection numbers continue to hold steady. As of the EOHU’s May 28 update, there are 129 active cases. In the past 24-hours there were four new cases added to the overall tally, which stands at 4,786 people infected since the pandemic began nearly 16 months ago.nnOverall hospitalizations have decreased to six people, with three of those in Intensive Care.nnThere are no active outbreaks in any group home, retirement home, Long-Term Care home or other congregant living facility.nnStatistics continue to show the overall decline of the third wave of the pandemic in the region. Key indicators including the seven-day average of new infections has fallen to 19.4 cases per 100,000 people. The reproductive rate has decreased to 0.79 meaning for every 100 new COVID-19 infections, 79 new secondary infections will occur.nnLocally, there are three active COVID-19 infections in South Dundas, five in North Dundas, two in South Stormont, nine in North Stormont, and 22 in the City of Cornwall.nnOver 106,000 vaccine doses have been delivered in the EOHU including at health unit run clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, and primary care doctor’s offices. The EOHU is running two vaccination clinics in South Dundas, scheduled for June 17 and 24. The health unit will offer a total of 28,000 COVID-19 vaccination appointments throughout the month of June between all its clinics in the region.nn nn nn