Peer support worker Jenny Nakogee, left, and program worker Barbara Pandza wait to screen clients at The Meeting Place in Toronto on Dec. 4, 2020.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Ontario says the first phase of its COVID-19 vaccination rollout will see vulnerable seniors, their caregivers, and health-care workers among the first to receive the shot.
Premier Doug Ford says in addition to those groups, adults in Indigenous communities, retirement homes, and recipients of chronic home health-care will also be priority groups.
Retired Gen. Rick Hiller, who is leading Ontario’s vaccine task force, says the province will receive 2.4 million doses during the first three months of 2021.
The province may need to set up vaccination centres as it is still unsure of logistics surrounding the transportation of doses.
Hillier says the vaccine will be more broadly available to the public starting in April, saying it will take between six to nine months to distribute across the province.
He says the third and final phase of the plan would then see the vaccine available through places like pharmacies on a regular basis.
Ontario reported 1,925 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, and 26 new deaths related to the virus.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said there were 601 new cases in Toronto, 512 in Peel Region, and 167 in York Region.
She also said there were 1,412 more resolved cases since the last daily update and nearly 45,300 tests completed in that time.
HOSPITAL OUTBREAKS
The president of a hospital in Waterloo region says all three hospitals in the area are currently experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak, leading to a concern about the facilities’ ability to maintain services.
Lee Fairclough, president of St. Mary’s General Hospital, says her facility declared an outbreak on Sunday that has been linked to five patients and two staff.
Fairclough says she’s concerned about the surge of COVID-19 in the community and the current outbreaks at all three of Waterloo region’s hospitals.
She says the situation has the potential to affect bed capacity and the ability to maintain services such as scheduled surgeries and other procedures.
Waterloo public health officials declared an initial outbreak at the Grand River Hospital last month, and the hospital declared another outbreak on Monday.
An outbreak at the region’s Cambridge Memorial Hospital was declared on Nov. 13.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.