Ottawa aims to administer COVID booster doses to all adults by end of January

Health-care worker Thi Nguyen administers Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at a COVID-19 clinic in Ottawa on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The city of Ottawa is working to boost COVID-19 vaccination capacity in the new year, with the goal of providing a booster shot to all residents aged 18 and older by the end of January.

As COVID-19 vaccinations continue at clinics across Ottawa through the Christmas weekend, the city provided an update on administering third doses to Ottawa adults.

“Accelerated third dose vaccinations is a top priority and the goal is to provide a third dose to all residents 18+ who want them, by the end of January 2022," said a memo from medical officer of health Dr. Vera Etches and Kim Ayotte, Ottawa's general manager of emergency and protective services.

"The goal is dependent on staffing and infrastructure. The Emergency Operations Centre is working on the staffing surge plan, including a second mega-site in the New Year to increase clinic appointments."

On Monday, 643,000 Ottawa residents 18 and older became eligible to receive the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Residents aged 50 and older became eligible for a booster dose on Dec. 13.

As of Friday, 231,459 Ottawa residents had received a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The memo says "surge planning" has resulted in an additional 126,238 appointments available at city clinics since Dec. 6.

"Currently, approximately 9,000+ residents are being immunized at City clinics each day. This rate is fast approaching the average highs achieved in summer 2021, which saw approximately 10,000 residents immunized daily at City clinics," said the memo from Etches and Ayotte.

According to the Ottawa Public Health COVID-19 vaccination dashboard, more than 18,000 third doses were administered in Ottawa daily on Dec. 20, Dec. 21, Dec. 22 and Dec. 23 at community clinics, pharmacies and family physician offices.

Vaccination clinic operations will continue over the holidays at select locations.

You can book an appointment through the Ontario government's COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 and through select pharmacies and primary care settings. 

OTTAWA COVID-19 VACCINE QUICK STATS

As of Dec, 24:

• Ottawa residents with 1 dose (5+): 889,629
• Ottawa residents with 2 doses (5+): 819,134
• Ottawa residents with 3 doses (12+): 231,459
• Share of population five and older with at least one dose: 90 per cent
• Share of population five and older fully vaccinated: 83 per cent