Attention, Ontarians: Premier Doug Ford and Toronto Mayor John Tory set a great example on Tuesday by going to get their COVID-19 booster shots, and you should too!

Or at least that's the message from both the Premier's and Mayor's offices — except for the fact that as anyone who has tried to sign up for a third dose through the province's central booking portal knows, unless you have special connections, you won't likely have access to a booster for quite some time.

Congratulations Premier! Now do the same for thousands of frontline workers, older adults, teachers and pregnant woman who can't find an appointment in the provincial booking system until March 2022.

— Birgit Umaigba RN, MEd (@birgitomo) December 21, 2021

While both politicians did their regular photo-op routine to encourage constituents to go out and get an additional shot to protect against spiking case numbers and the Omicron variant, their PR stunt did not appear to be very well received.

Premier Ford's post in particular that shows him getting the coveted booster in Etobicoke this morning has garnered nearly 1,000 responses and hundreds of quote tweets and counting within just a few hours, most of them extremely negative.

Of course you jumped to the front of the line a day after many were told no booster for you until 2 months from now. Bad optics, worse Premier.

— Chuck 'M & 57 others liked your reply (@mcfarland_chuck) December 21, 2021

Rightfully, citizens seem pretty enraged that the leader was able to get a slot the day after appointments opened up to the 18-49 crowd, which meant utter mayhem on the online appointment-making portal and massive snaking lineups at vaccine clinics, especially in urban centres.

Many are citing not being able to book an appointment for weeks, or even months into 2022, depending on where they're located, regardless of how long ago they got their last dose and whether they're a member of a vulnerable group not specified as priority earlier in the rollout.

Thousands of Ontarians can't even make appointments because none are available so lucky you. You knew about the need for a booster long before Omicron & you did nothing. #VoteFordOut2022 #FordFailsAgain

— Linda Hume-Sastre (@LHumeSastre) December 21, 2021

What was intended to be something that provided good optics for the leaders and for the province's vaccination program has turned into the complete opposite, presenting an opportunity for people to criticize Ford and Tory's leadership.

To be fair, both men have been eligible for the booster for some time given their ages — at 57 and 67, respectively, both could have scheduled theirs as early as Dec. 13 — but the moves were not exactly the best-timed given that they're taking place right in the middle of everyone's vaccine and testing frustrations.