If you haven't received your first COVID-19 vaccine, the wait won't be much longer.
On Monday, the Middlesex-London Health Unit announced that it will allow people in the community who are over the age of 18 to book their first dose vaccination appointment.
The Health Unit's booking website will open up to all adults at 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
There will be 24,000 new appointments available to be booked over the next four weeks. There are over 130,000 people in the now-eligible demographic.
"We are working with the province to try and identify whether additional vaccine supplies can be made available for the booking rush we expect tomorrow morning," said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Chris Mackie. "(We're) remaining hopeful that will be the case."
Between 3,000 and 3,500 people per day are being vaccinated at the Health Unit's mass vaccination clinics right now. A fourth mass vaccine clinic will be opened next week, which will help field the increased vaccinations.
On Monday, the Health Unit announced 26 new cases of COVID-19. However, that number is expected to rise on Tuesday due to a counting issue with the provincial software.
Mackie also told the media that a person who had received one dose of a vaccine passed away due to COVID-19.
This person was over the age of 80 and had been vaccinated more than 14 days prior to getting the virus.
"The most important reminder in that case, is that it's so important to maintain the COVID prevention measures other than vaccination," Mackie said. "You absolutely need masking, distancing and avoiding unnecessary gatherings."
