This article was updated with additional clarification from the City of Ottawa about the “hot spot” neighbourhoods prioritized for vaccinations.
Ontario officials are expanding the availability of COVID-19 vaccine appointments to all Ottawa residents aged 60 and older as of Wednesday.
Any Ottawa resident born in 1961 or earlier across the city can book their vaccine at a community clinic via the provincial system on Wednesday, lowering the age cap for vaccinations to 60 from 70.
Ottawa had temporarily suspended new bookings via the provincial system last week after all slots up until April 7 had been filled, but appointments were reopened over the weekend.
Those aged 55 and up can also book appointments at one of 34 pharmacies as part of the pilot program expanded to the city this past weekend.
Meanwhile, residents aged 50 and older who live in certain high-risk areas of Ottawa are also being prioritized for COVID-19 vaccinations under Phase 2 of Ontario’s vaccine rollout.
A provincial vaccination update released Tuesday afternoon lists a number of regions deemed “hot spots” for COVID-19 transmission, broken down by postal codes.
While Ottawa neighbourhoods with postal codes starting with K1T, K1V and K2V were listed as “hot spot” communities under the provincial list, the city said Wednesday that not all residents who live in these areas listed will necessarily be prioritized for vaccination.
Ottawa has previously identified 21 priority neighbourhoods with the highest risks of hospitalization and death in connection with COVID-19. The city will therefore continue to focus on these neighbourhoods within those postal codes when vaccinations become available to those aged 50 and older, according to Anthony Di Monte, the head of Ottawa’s vaccine distribution task force.
Included in these priority areas are neighbourhoods such as Heron Gate, Ledbury, Ridgemont, Emerald Woods, Sawmill Creek and others previously flagged as experiencing high rates of coronavirus transmission.
Ontario’s Ministry of Health says it is working with local public health units to ensure “broad and timely” access to vaccines among residents in these neighbourhoods.
Ottawa, as well as public health units in the Greater Toronto Area, will receive funding from the province to implement vaccination strategies catering to these hard-hit neighbourhoods, many of which house low-income, racialized and disadvantaged residents.
This funding will be given to lead agencies on the ground to address issues of vaccine hesitancy, awareness and access to shots.
Ottawa Public Health has previously said it is working with community health centres, local faith leaders and other groups on education campaigns with resources available in Somali and Arabic, for example.
Mobile vaccine sites have also been put in place in Ottawa communities hardest hit by the pandemic to supplement community clinic operations.
So far, Ottawa health workers have administered 193,710 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, representing 82 per cent of the total inventory received so far.
More than 80 per cent of Ottawa residents aged 80 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine as of Tuesday, while 44.8 per cent of those aged 70-79 have received their initial dose.
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