Windsor-Essex has been included in a pilot program to make the COVID-19 vaccine available in area drugstores.
Premier Doug Ford provided an update on the province's vaccine rollout Wednesday afternoon from the Toronto Congress Centre in Etobicoke. As part of the rollout, people aged 60-64 may start booking appointments by phone to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at select Windsor-Essex pharmacies.
The region will join the Toronto and the Kingston-area public health regions in offering the vaccines by appointment. Starting Friday, a total of 326 pharmacies in these three regions will vaccinate eligible Ontarians aged 60 to 64.
Ford said the province took a shipment of 194,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, making the pilot program a reality.
"We have a plan to get vaccines into arms as quickly as possible in order to keep people safe and we will do that as long as we have a steady supply from the federal government," said Ford.
Pharmacies in all Windsor-Essex municipalities are included in this pilot project. The complete list of participating drugstores along with eligibility requirements and instructions, can be found on the province's official website.
Residents aged 60 to 64 are asked to call the pharmacy directly to make an appointment. Bring your health card or other government-issued ID, a face covering, and any snacks if you are required to eat for medical reasons.
In addition, the Ministry of Health is expanding the availability of the vaccine in primary care settings, such as doctor's offices. The regions participating in this rollout, which begins Saturday, include Hamilton, Toronto, Guelph, Peterborough, Simcoe-Muskoka, and Peel.
