Toronto

Ontario family doctors in some regions will start giving COVID-19 vaccinations today

Some family doctors in Ontario will start administering COVID-19 vaccinations in six regions today.

The doctors are getting just under 30,000 shots to start but that could increase

The province announced this week that some family doctors in Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton, Guelph, Peterborough, and Simcoe-Muskoka will be administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot. (CBC)

Some family doctors in Ontario will start administering COVID-19 vaccinations in six regions today.

The province announced this week that some family doctors in Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton, Guelph, Peterborough, and Simcoe-Muskoka will be administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot.

The Ontario Medical Association says physicians in those regions are asking for patience as they begin administering doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca to people aged 60 to 64 years old on Saturday.

They are asking people not to call their doctors' office, saying that physicians will contact eligible patients.

The doctors are getting a limited number of doses — some 29,500 shots — but that could increase as more vaccine shipments arrive.

Another pilot project offering Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to residents aged 60 to 64 in pharmacies in three public health units — Toronto, Windsor and Kingston — launched fully on Friday.