Ontario expands vaccine booking in hot spots to 45+ and some child care workers

Ontario is opening up its online vaccine booking system to some residents 45 and older and some child care workers.

Starting Tuesday at 8 a.m., people 45 and older living in provincially identified COVID-19 hot spots will be able to book their appointment online.

The hot spot list includes two Hamilton postal codes (L8W and L9C), one in Niagara Falls (L2G) and one in Halton (L9E).

Previously, only people 50 and older in these hot spots were able to book their vaccine appointments online.

On Tuesday afternoon, the City of Hamilton announced residents 40+ living in hot spots would be eligible to book vaccines by calling the COVID-19 hotline at 905-974-9848 option 7.

This includes people who live in the postal codes identified by the province (L8W and L9C) as well as the three postal codes identified by the city (L8L, L8N and L9K).

This group will be eligible to book appointments at any of the city’s large-scale or mobile pop-up vaccination clinics.

There are two upcoming clinics at the end of the month and early May.

People will need to show proof of address when arriving for an appointment.

Are you age 45+ with a postal code starting with ‘L2G’? You can book an appointment at a Niagara COVID-19 vaccine clinic at https://t.co/6zhqLWXPLI or call 1-833-943-3900.

Spots are still available at the MacBain Community Centre clinic in @NiagaraFalls. Book today! https://t.co/4zk7X4uqnO

— Niagara Region Public Health (@NRPublicHealth) April 27, 2021

Meanwhile, child care workers in licensed child care settings will be eligible to book their appointments starting Thursday.

They will have to book using the provincial vaccine booking number (1-833-943-3900).

The province says eligible workers will receive a letter from their employer, which will be needed at the point of booking and taken to the vaccination appointment.

Eligibility will be expanded to child care workers in unlicensed child care settings in the coming weeks.