Here are the latest developments on the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Saturday:
Toronto vaccinates 50% of youth ages 16 to 19
The City of Toronto says it has hit the milestone of 50 per cent of youth aged 16 to 19 having received their first dose on Saturday.
The City said most of the 62,601 youth who received their first dose did so within the last week.
“We are doing everything we can as a city government to get every resident vaccinated. Thank you to the families who are coming out to get vaccinated by the thousands to make sure they are protected and their community is protected,” said Mayor John Tory in a release. “Getting vaccinated as soon as possible is the right thing to do so that we can bring this pandemic to an end.”
Health Canada extends expiration date of some AstraZeneca vaccines
Ontario says Health Canada has extended the expiration date on “specific lots” of AstraZeneca vaccines on Saturday from six to seven months.
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The province had been at-risk of wasting several thousand doses of AstraZeneca.
“Vaccine doses with an original expiry date of May 31, 2021 can now be used until July 1, 2021,” said a spokesperson for Ontario’s minister of health.
Ontario had begun to offer the second dose of AstraZeneca at a 10-week interval for those who got their first dose between March 10 to March 19. following that, accelerated second doses will be offered at a 12-week interval.
Ontario reports 1,057 new COVID-19 cases, 15 deaths
Ontario is reporting 1,057 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday. The provincial total now stands at 529,510.
The death toll in the province has risen to 8,726 as 15 more deaths were recorded.As of 8 p.m. on Friday, 8,839,445 million COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered. That marked an increase of 148,972 vaccines in the last day. There are more than 650,000 people fully vaccinated with two doses.
Status of cases in the GTA
Ontario reported 1,057 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday.
Of those:
- 228 were in Toronto
- 178 were in Peel Region
- 82 were in York Region
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