There has been a surge in cases of the more contagious and severe COVID-19 variants, which are affecting younger people who need intensive care.

In Toronto high priority areas are those with the postal codes starting with: M1B, M1C, M1E, M1G, M1H, M1J, M1K, M1M, M1P, M1R, M1X, M2J, M2M, M2R, M3A, M3C, M3H, M4A, M3J, M3K, M3L, M3M, M3N, M6B, M6L, M9M, M9N, M9P, M4X, M5A, M5B, M5N, M6A, M5V, M6H, M6K, M6N, M8V, M9A, M9B, M9C, M9R, M9V, M9W, M1L, M4H, M1S, M1T, M1V and M1W.

So the strategy around vaccinations is being changed to offer COVID-19 shots to anyone 18 and over living in COVID hotspots.

There is also a plan to sent mobile vaccination units into high risk areas to residential buildings and large employers. And over the April break next week, education workers in high risk areas will be eligible to receive a first dose of COVID vaccine.

How they book their shots is vague, with word bookings won’t take place through the provincial portal but through community outreach and mobile units.

Dr. Michael Warner, critical care director at Toronto’s Michael Garron Hospital is pleased with the pivot.

“It’s not perfect and it’s not exactly what some of us have been asking for, but it represents an acknowledgement that the stay at home order in and of itself was not nearly enough, and we really had to focus on who is getting COVID, test them, protect them, and provide them with a targeted approach, so that we can go to the hotspots and reduce the spread in these very important communities, Dr. Warner explained.

What still hasn’t been resolved is the issue around paid sick days.