KAWARTHA LAKES-Premier Doug Ford received his first dose of the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine at an Etobicoke pharmacy today. He issued the following statement:
“Our government is moving quickly to get vaccines to where they will have the greatest impact. In addition to over 100 mass vaccination clinics, vaccines are available at 700 pharmacies across Ontario, doctor’s offices and hospital clinics and we are getting mobile vaccine clinics to workplaces, high risk neighbourhoods, residential buildings, community centres, and places of worship.
Over 2.9 million vaccines have now been administered and we have booked more than 1.9 million appointments for people to get their vaccines. I’m grateful to all the frontline health care heroes who are helping with this monumental effort and getting shots into arms, including mine.
As part of Phase Two, we are increasing vaccine allocations to hot spot communities to reach individuals living in areas with historic and ongoing high rates of death, hospitalization and transmission. We have expanded the criteria for who can get a vaccine to include education workers in Toronto and Peel hot spots, and those who directly support students with special needs. We are making steady progress in our fight against this deadly virus and we will get to the other side of the pandemic.
We have received more vaccines from the Federal government, with additional shipments promised over the coming days and weeks. Now it’s up to all of us to get our shots. This is the best way to protect yourselves from this deadly virus. When your turn comes, I strongly urge everyone to book an appointment to get your safe, Health Canada approved vaccine. It’s easy, just visit Ontario.ca/covidvaccineÂ
We have come so far, but we need to continue to stay the course. Over the next several weeks, please stay home unless you need essentials or you can’t work from home, and continue following the public health guidelines. By working together we can keep everyone safe.”
