Health-care workers call for access to 4th doses of COVID-19 vaccine but Ontario offers no timeline

Ashley Fox is keen to get her second booster of the COVID-19 vaccine.

A registered practical nurse, Fox was recently a Liberal candidate in the Ontario election in the riding of Perth-Wellington. She's returned to her work in home and community health care and she's also in her last trimester of pregnancy.

She received her third dose, or booster shot, in November — six months ago.

"I'm ready, let's start the next boosters," Fox said.

Fox said people may not be thinking of the second booster — or fourth dose — right now because it's summer, masking has been lifted and there's a general vibe that COVID-19 is over.

But she says most health-care workers continue to see new cases of the virus and they are anticipating another wave this fall, when people move back indoors. She says the province can plan ahead to get health-care workers their next round of shots so that it's not a rush like it was in November for her booster.

"If we don't put plan in place sooner rather than later, we'll always be late to the ballgame," she said.

Fox isn't alone in wanting her second booster.

Michelle Steingart is the clinic co-ordinator for Sanguen Health Centre based in Waterloo, Ont., and she says everyone at the community-based health-care centre is just waiting for word they can get their second boosters.

"We, like the rest of the community, are waiting to hear when those under 60 are allowed to get their vaccines. And we'll have our sleeves all rolled up and be ready to take the poke as soon as we can," Steingart said.

Kitchener ER doctor Rupinder Sahsi also tweeted about his desire for a second booster.

Currently only certain priority groups are eligible for the second booster in Ontario. They are:

Dr. Claudette Holloway, president of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario, says her organization has heard rumblings too on social media of nurses wanting their second booster, but she doesn't have any answers for them.

She says while the government has not yet recommended second boosters except for certain priority groups, they can be proactive and prepare now to give the vaccine ahead of the next wave.