If you're waiting for your second COVID-19 vaccine dose, you might be rolling up your sleeve sooner than you'd think.
At a virtual news conference on Monday, Middlesex London Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie said we should soon see expanded eligibility for second dose appointment bookings - with an announcement coming as soon as Tuesday.
"We'll be able to accelerate second doses sooner. We're working with the province about what exactly that will look like," Mackie said at the news conference. "The timing couldn't be better, because we know the delta variant requires two doses for full protection."
Mackie was unsure about which cohorts may be eligible to book an earlier second dose appointments. The province is set to make an announcement later this week.
London will see a 70% increase in vaccine supply in the coming weeks, according to Mackie. That will mean Middlesex-London receives 42,000 vaccines per week in total.
"Starting next Monday, we'll be able to vaccinate 6,000 people per day," said Mackie. "And potentially even more the following week."
Meantime, local case counts saw a small uptick on the weekend.
Ontario’s total case count since now sits at 540,130.
Four deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, to increase the province’s death toll to 8,961.