Ontario is expected to detail its plan for the fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine today, with Health Minister Christine Elliott saying the province intends to offer fourth doses to people aged 60 and older.
 

The fourth doses are already available to residents of long-term care homes, home care recipients, and immunocompromised individuals in Ontario.

Plans to expand second booster doses are expected after the National Advisory Committee on Immunization advised provinces and territories to be prepared to roll out fourth doses in the coming weeks.

The committee recommends provinces prioritize people aged 80 and older and residents of long-term care, and strongly recommends fourth doses for those aged 70 to 79.

Meanwhile, NACI says it is still studying whether second booster shots are necessary for younger adults and adolescents.

At the same time, the latest wastewater data from Ontario’s scientific advisors on COVID-19 indicates that infections in the province are nearly as high as they were in early January, when Omicron was at its peak.

The number of people with COVID-19 in Ontario hospitals also rose by almost 40 percent on Tuesday compared to the previous week.