As a dozen hotspots across the province move to Phase 2 of Ontario's Vaccine Distribution Plan, the Porcupine Health Unit's vaccination age cutoff remains at 65+ for now.
Starting tomorrow, April 7, the12 hotspots will be able to book COVID-19 vaccines for adults aged 60+. Additionally, residents in that age group in neighbouring Public Health Sudbury and Districts will be able to book appointments for their vaccines.
However, this change does not apply to the Porcupine Health Unit.
The provincial government says it will change sometime later in April, but no further details have been released.
A hotspot in Ontario is a community where there has been a high proportion of community-based deaths and where COVID-19 rates are highest.
The hotspot regions include Durham, Simcoe-Muskoka, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Ottawa, Peel, Waterloo, Wellington-Dufferin, Windsor-Essex, York, Toronto and Southwestern Public Health.
With 32 active cases, the Timmins area is not considered a COVID-19 hot spot. In contrast, Sudbury has 256 active cases. Although not considered an official hot spot for the virus, Nickle Belt MPP France Gélinas has been calling for Ford to declare the region a hot spot.
Comparatively, Peel Region, reported 625 new cases of COVID-19 today alone, and Toronto has 9,316 active cases.
The 60+ age change for hot spots was outlined in a Ministry of Health technical briefing held Tuesday, which reported that Ontario's vaccine rollout plan is now in Phase 2 with the province intending to vaccinate all adults aged 60 and older between now and the end of June.
After that, beginning in July, the plan is to provide vaccines to Ontario adults aged 59 and younger.
