Ottawa begins offering third COVID-19 vaccine dose to most vulnerable residents

OTTAWA -

Ottawa residents most at risk of serious illness, including those who are severely immunocompromised, can now receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, third doses will also be offered to residents of long-term care homes and the highest risk retirement homes in Ottawa, five months after the second dose.

Ottawa Public Health says residents who meet the criteria can speak to their specialist or hospital program to ask for a letter to receive a third dose.  The third dose of vaccine will be given at least two months after the second dose and will match the vaccine received as the second dose.

Those eligible for the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine include:

• Transplant recipients (including solid organ transplant and hematopoietic stem cell transplants)
• Patients with hematological cancers (examples include lymphoma, myeloma, leukemia) on active treatment (chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy)
• Recipients of an anti-CD20 agent (examples include rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab)

Residents can drop in to Ottawa's community clinics, pop-up clinics or neighbourhood vaccination hubs during hours of operation to receive the third dose.

"Eligible residents must present a letter from their specialist or hospital program to receive a third dose," said the health unit in a statement on Wednesday.

Residents of long-term care homes and highest risk retirement homes will also be offered a third dose of vaccination at an interval of at least five months after the second dose.

The Ontario government announced last week that health officials will begin offering third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to those highest at risk.

Ottawa's associate medical officer of health says there is no need at this point for a COVID-19 booster for the whole population, but it is a different story for the vulnerable population.

"The concern is that either due to age, frailty, underlying medical conditions where such individuals may not have had as big of a response initially or it's going to wane more quickly that they're being prioritized," said Dr. Brent Moloughney.

Dr. Molouhgney says in the longer term, it's possible a booster shot may be available for all Ottawa residents.