TORONTO, Ohio — Ontario’s health minister says the province is studying COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy levels as it continues to urge people to get inoculated.
Christine Elliott some people have expressed concern about the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine or a preference to receive the shot from their own family doctor.
Elliott received her first dose of the AstraZeneca shot today at a Toronto pharmacy, which she hopes will help combat vaccine hesitancy.
She says the shots are safe and help reduce hospitalizations and illness from COVID-19.
A total of 2,031,735 vaccine doses have been administered in the province so far.
Ontario reported 2,094 new cases of COVID-19 today and 10 more deaths linked to the virus.
Health Minister Christine Elliott said there are 618 new cases in Toronto, 368 in Peel Region, 277 in York Region, 132 in Ottawa and 104 in Durham Region. And 39,500 tests were completed.
The province said 841 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, but noted that 10 per cent of hospitals did not submit data over the weekend.
Meanwhile, stricter public health measures went into force in two Ontario regions on Monday as the province continued ramping up its vaccine drive.
Hamilton went into the strictest grey-lockdown phase of Ontario’s pandemic response plan, while the Eastern Ontario Health Unit entered the second-strictest red zone.
Those who live in grey zones will be able to attend fitness classes outdoors as of Monday.
Premier Doug Ford made that announcement Friday, when he also revealed that hair salons and other personal care services will be able to reopen in grey zones on April 12.
On Sunday, the government lowered the minimum age for vaccine eligibility in 10 more public health units from 75 down to 70. It also announced that people aged 70 and older in York Region, who had previously only been able to book vaccines through the regional service, can now use the provincial system to make appointments.
Also in York Region, a drive-thru vaccination site opened at Canada’s Wonderland, where a limited number of patients will be able to get vaccines by appointment only.
Two more mass vaccination sites will also open in Toronto, where people as young as 70 started getting vaccinated on Saturday.
But the city is also grappling with COVID-19 outbreaks that have forced Toronto Public Health to shutter three schools.
The Toronto District School Board said students at Brian Public School and Victoria Village Public School are moving to online learning for the time being, while the Toronto Catholic District School Board has temporarily closed St. Dominic Savio Catholic School.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2021.
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