Can I get my first COVID-19 vaccine dose in B.C. and second in Ontario?
Posted April 8, 2021 5:31 am.
Last Updated April 8, 2021 5:38 am.
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Question:
Raymond Castro asks: “My [18-year-old] son is going to university this September in Toronto. My question is, if he gets his first shot in B.C., can he get the second in Ontario? Or, if he’s not able to get it in B.C. by the time he leaves, can he get both shots in the other province? How should he go about doing the shots in Ontario in both scenarios?”
Answer:
Under B.C.’s vaccination plan, people aged 18 to 24 are set to get their first vaccine dose in June, and their second dose 16 weeks later.
So Raymond’s son should be able to get hirst first shot sometime that month, but will probably be in Toronto before he can get his second dose in B.C.
The good news is health officials in both provinces say this shouldn’t be a problem.
“Someone who moves from one province to another during the time between their first and second vaccine dose will be able to get their second dose in their new province of residence,” B.C.’s Ministry of Health told us.
And Toronto Public Health said every adult living in Ontario will be eligible for a vaccine by Phase 3 of its immunization rollout set for this summer.
“If someone has been vaccinated with one dose in another province, they should retain their proof of vaccination so that as much as possible the second dose can be given with the same vaccine,” the agency told NEWS 1130 in an email.
Raymond’s son likely won’t need an Ontario Health Insurance Plan card to get a vaccination. Toronto Public Health says it’s developing a low-barrier process to insure everyone who needs a vaccine can get one.
