Vulnerable adults at a group home in Markham that experienced a deadly outbreak of the coronavirus last spring have started receiving COVID-19 vaccines this week.

Participation House tweeted that both residents and clients are receiving their first dose at the Markham home, more than a month earlier than laid out in the provincial government’s vaccination rollout plan.

The home had raised concerns about not being included in the current Phase 1 of the province’s plan, which includes offering the first dose of an approved vaccine to long-term care home and retirement home residents and staff.

Group homes are included in the second phase of the rollout plan, which is set to begin in April.

The Markham group home told CTV News Toronto last month that their clients need to be vaccinated as soon as possible to avoid another tragic outbreak.

“We serve some of the most at-risk, vulnerable individuals in society, with our population largely comprised of high-risk seniors with serious disabilities, resulting in extremely high personal and medical care needs 24/7,” Shelley Brillinger, executive director of Participation House in Markham, said.

During the first wave of the pandemic last April, the Markham home experienced a deadly outbreak of the disease, resulting in six deaths and nearly all of its 42 residents testing positive for COVID-19. Thirty-eight staff members also contracted the virus.

A second outbreak occurred at the home last September when a staff member tested positive. Only one case is required to declare an outbreak.

Under Phase 2 of the government’s vaccination rollout plan, 8.5 million people from a number of priority groups, including frontline workers, adults ages 60 and over and individuals living and working in high-risk congregate settings, are expected to get vaccinated from April to July.

The final and third phase includes vaccinating members of the general public under 60 years of age and is expected to begin in August.

The plan, however, is only a guideline for Ontario’s 34 public health units, as they are responsible for creating and implementing their own vaccination plans.

York Region Public Health had planned to start administering the vaccine to congregate care settings at the end of January after inoculating long-term care residents and staff. But that plan was put on hold due to vaccine shortages and direction from the province to prioritize long-term care.

-With files from CTV News Toronto's Mike Walker