More people in Niagara are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Highest-risk individuals with health conditions and an essential caregiver can now book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment
Niagara residents who meet the highest-risk health conditions criteria, as well as their essential caregiver, can book a vaccine appointment by calling the provincial call centre at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY 1-866-797-0007).
Individuals with the following highest-risk health conditions are eligible:
•Organ transplant recipients (including patients waitlisted for transplant)
•Hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients
•People with neurological diseases in which respiratory function may be compromised (e.g., motor neuron disease, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis)
•Haematological malignancy diagnosed less than one year ago
•Kidney disease with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) under 30
These patients are eligible to have one essential caregiver vaccinated at the time they receive their first dose.
Caregivers’ first dose appointment should be booked at the same time as the eligible highest-risk individual.
The province has also announced some exceptions to the 16-week interval between the first and second vaccine dose.
Second dose interval exceptions include individuals:
•With malignant hematologic disorder receiving active treatment (specifically chemotherapy, targeted therapies of immunotherapy)
•With non-hematologic malignant solid tumor receiving active treatment (specifically chemotherapy, targeted therapies of immunotherapy)
•Transplant recipients (including solid organ transplants and hematopoietic stem cell transplants)
Essential caregivers will not be eligible for the shortened second dose interval.