Ontario opens eligibility for fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to all adults this week

Ontario is opening up eligibility for fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to all adults aged 18 and up this week.

Ontario is opening up eligibility for fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to all adults aged 18 and up this week.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore made the announcement late Wednesday morning, saying that individuals in this age group can book an appointment using the provincial system as of 8 a.m. on July 14.

While appointments for fourth doses will be available to all adults six months after their third shot, Moore said it’s “not absolutely necessary” for individuals who do not have underlying health issues.

Healthy adults may want to wait until the fall when a “bivalent COVID-19 vaccine” may be available, Moore said.

“While we're making this option available, it is important to note that healthy, currently vaccinated individuals continue to have significant persistent protection against severe disease even six months after the last dose,” he said.

“However, there may be individuals with personal or medical circumstances in those age groups who may benefit from an additional protection of a second booster.”

Prior to this announcement, fourth doses were only available to people aged 60 and older, as well as immunocompromised individuals and Indigenous adults.