The Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore will talk about when adults aged 18 to 59 can access fourth COVID-19 shots.
He will also talk about the province’s free rapid antigen test distribution program, which is set to expire on July 31.
Unlike Quebec, the United States and many other provinces, Ontario does not allow health care workers and non-immunocompromised adults to receive fourth doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Ontario opened third-dose eligibility to all adults nearly seven months ago.
Eligibility includes hospice residents, a select group of immunosuppressive conditions, Indigenous people and anyone over 60 years of age.
Ontario epidemiologists are divided about the value of offering a fourth dose now versus waiting until the fall, when federal health officials expect the country to face another wave of COVID-19 transmission.
But Ontario and the rest of the nation are already in a wave this summer driven by the BA.5 subvariant of the coronavirus.
The delay, debate and eligibility gap between Ontario prompted an Ottawa family physician, Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, to threaten legal action if the province does not soon expand eligibility for rations.
On Tuesday, she told CP24 her legal team is waiting to see what Ontario’s plan looks like as whatever is announced may not include opening up dose eligibility to all adults.
Moore is due to speak at 11am from Queen’s Park.
CP24 will broadcast the update live and online.
