Round 2, here we come: Bookings for 2nd doses open across N.L.

People who received their first COVID-19 vaccination in the early stages of Newfoundland and Labrador's vaccination plan can now rebook to get an earlier second appointment, according to the province's health authorities.

Eastern Health said in a media release Friday thatappointments can be changed based on when first doses were administered, and arebeing done to help the province's reopening plan stay on track. However, the department still recommends waiting eight weeks between appointments.

The change also applies to theCentral Healthand Western Health regions. No information on whether the change applies to the Labrador-GrenfellHealth region was available on the province's COVID-19 website.

Currently scheduled appointments can also be kept if individualsprefer.

While Friday's news doesn't apply to everyone, people who fitinto the following categories can rebook their appointment to within eight weeks of their first dose:

• Anyone who received their first dose betweenMarch 26 and April 16and have second dose appointments scheduled betweenJuly 16 and Aug. 5.
• Anyone who received their first dose outside the province on or before April 16.
• Anyone who received the AstraZeneca-Oxford or CoviSield vaccine between March 2 and April 16and wants to receive an mRNA vaccine.
• Rotational workers travelling to work before their second scheduled dose.

Those who received a first dose between March 2 and March 25 with second doses scheduled between July 1 and July 15 will keep their appointments unless they have a reason to reschedule.

Anyone who received avaccine after April 16is not yet able to reschedule, for now.

Rebooking an appointment can be done online using each health authority's booking portal, or by phone at1-833-951-3884 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. NT.

As of Friday morning, about 63 per cent of eligible people in Newfoundland and Labrador had received at least one shot against COVID-19.

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