York Region is significantly expanding its COVID-19 vaccine rollout today, with the much-in-demand appointments now available to residents aged 50 and older, individuals aged 18 and over who live or work in any of the 16 hot spots, and a specific category of individuals unable to work from home, including education workers and emergency responders.
Effective May 5, eligible residents and workers can book an appointment by visiting york.ca/COVID19Vaccine.
On Tuesday, May 4, approximately 78,000 new appointments were opened.
Residents and workers aged 18 and older in the following postal codes can book appointments: East Gwillimbury L9N; Richmond Hill L4B, L4C, L4E; L0J, L3L, L4H, L4J, L4K, L4L, L6A; and Markham L3T, L6B, L6C, L6E, L3S.
York Region is receiving additional supplies of the vaccine this week and next as part of the province’s strategy for hot spots, according to York Region spokesperson Patrick Casey.
About 46 per cent or 440,000 residents aged 18 and older have now received at least one dose of the vaccine.
"With our partners, York Region is able to administer approximately 12,000 doses a day between all clinics, not including pharmacies and primary care," Casey said. "Until recently, our capacity to deliver vaccines has greatly outweighed the number of vaccines provided to us by the province."
After May 10, York Region’s anticipated weekly vaccine allocation is expected to be reduced to 51,480 doses, he added.
Last week, Ontario surpassed Premier Doug Ford’s target of giving 40 per cent of Ontario’s adults at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine by May 6. More than 41 per cent of Ontarians have received at least one dose, with nearly 5.6 million total doses administered.
About 35 per cent of Canada's population has had at least one dose.
Here's the full list of current eligibility at clinics across York Region, including the Ray Twinney vaccination centre operated by Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket:
- UPDATED: All York Region residents age 50+ (born in 1971 or earlier);
- UPDATED: Individuals age 18+ (born in 2003 or earlier) living or working in the 16 identified high-priority communities;
- UPDATED: People who cannot work from home (see below);
- Licensed child-care staff and special education staff who live or work in York Region (documentation required);
- Individuals (and one essential caregiver) with highest and high risk health conditions, including pregnant individuals;
- Highest, very high and high priority health care workers who work or live in York Region;
- Staff, essential caregivers and any residents that have not yet received a first dose in long-term care homes, retirement homes, congregate care settings for seniors and First Nations elder care homes;
- Alternative level of care patients in hospitals who have a confirmed admission to a long-term care home, retirement home or other congregate care home for seniors;
- Indigenous adults and members of their households;
- Adults receiving home care services who live in York Region (documentation required);
- Faith leaders who live or work in York Region and provide end of life care, care of the deceased, care of those who are unwell or provides pastoral services in vulnerable settings.
Residents aged 40 and can book a vaccination appointment at any participating pharmacy in the province.
Under the province's vaccine distribution plan, the following "first group" workers who live or work in York Region are now eligible to book a vaccine appointment:
- Remaining elementary and secondary school workers (including educators, custodial, school bus drivers, administrative staff)
- Workers responding to critical events (including police, fire, special constables, children’s aid society workers, emergency management, critical infrastructure restoration workers)
- Enforcement, inspection and compliance roles (including by-law enforcement, building inspectors, food inspectors, animal welfare inspectors, border inspection officers, labour inspectors, WSIB field workers)
- Remaining individuals working in licensed childcare settings (including all licensees, employees and students on educational placements who interact directly with children in licensed childcare centres and in authorized recreation and skill building programs, licensed home child care and in-home service providers, employees of home child care agencies)
- Foster care agenda workers (including customary care providers)
- Food manufacturing and distribution workers
- Agriculture and farm workers
- Funeral, crematorium and cemetery workers.
Appointments are required, and walk-ins are not available.
Individuals who work in York Region will require workplace identification at the time of their appointment. More information to help you prepare for your appointment is available at york.ca/
