Premier Doug Ford was present when the first doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine touched down in Ontario, his office said in a statement early Monday.
Ford was photographed next to an airplane at a Hamilton airport that carried the vaccine shipment on Sunday night.
“The province has been preparing for this day for months and we are ready for the road ahead,” Ford’s office said in a statement.
“It’s time to start vaccinating Ontarians. It’s time to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Ontario is expected to receive 6,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and will give them to about 2,500 health-care workers at a hospital in Toronto and another in Ottawa.
Vaccinations began on Monday with the first dose given to a personal support worker in Toronto.
Last week, retired gen. Rick Hillier, who is the head of Ontario’s vaccine task force, said half the shots will be administered and the other half will be intentionally held back to give those same workers a second dose 21 days later as supply is limited right now.
— With files from The Canadian Press.