COVID-19 vaccines: Here’s who’s eligible to book in Ottawa for the week of May 3

Ottawa is starting the month of May with residents as young as 18 years old in some areas eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

Residents born in 2003 or earlier living in areas with postal codes starting with K1T, K1V and K2V — neighbourhoods deemed “hot spots” for COVID-19 by the province — can book a vaccine appointment at a community clinic in Ottawa via Ontario’s centralized booking system.

These neighbourhoods are separate from the Ottawa vaccine distribution task force’s strategy of focusing on adults in 21 high-risk communities through pop-up clinics and other targeted approaches aimed at protecting the most vulnerable residents.

Neighbourhoods where OPH lists residents 18 and older as eligible for vaccination under this targeted approach are: Ledbury-Heron Gate-Ridgemont, Emerald Woods – Sawmill Creek, Hunt Club East-Western Community and Greenboro East. These appointments are available via the provincial booking system.

OPH and the vaccine task force have said they’re making changes to this strategy that will soon see all adults aged 18 and older in the remaining neighbourhoods eligible for a jab.

On Friday, Ontario lowered the age gate for booking a COVID-19 vaccine to any adults aged 55 and older.

Starting Thursday, May 6, any adult aged 50 or older — those born in 1971 or earlier — will be eligible to book an appointment.

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Additionally, any resident with a high-risk health condition such as obesity, development disabilities and treatments requiring immunosuppression will become eligible for a vaccine. The province is also expected to expand eligibility to the first priority group of people who can’t work from home, including teachers and workers in food and manufacturing facilities.

People aged 40 and older remain eligible to book vaccine appointments via participating local pharmacies.

• Licenced child-care workers
• Special education workers
• People living and working in congregate care
• Pregnant women
• People with highest-risk health conditions and their caregivers. Conditions include organ and stem cell transplant recipients, people with kidney disease, haematological malignancy or neurological conditions affecting their breathing
• First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations aged 16 and older via the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health and Akausivik Inuit Family Health Team

For anyone uncertain of whether they are eligible for a vaccine, OPH has developed a screening tool to answer that question. The public health unit also has a full suite of information on vaccines available on its website.

Ottawa has released vaccination bookings for the first four weeks of May via its community clinics and will expand the number of available slots when future vaccine deliveries have been confirmed.

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