The City of Toronto continues to respond to COVID-19. Today, Mayor John Tory, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa and Fire Chief and General Manager of the Office of Emergency Management Matthew Pegg provided an update on measures to stop the third wave of the pandemic and the Team Toronto effort to vaccinate people as quickly as possible.
The City and vaccination partners have now administered at least a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to 60 per cent of all Toronto adults age 18 or older. Team Toronto has reached this goal thanks to a vaccination network that includes the City, Toronto Public Health, hospitals, pharmacies, Ontario Health Teams, Local Health Integration Networks, community clinics, primary care physicians and community groups – a network of more than 350 vaccination partners.
Tomorrow at 8 a.m., the Province of Ontario is opening vaccination eligibility to all people age 18 and older. Appointments can be booked by eligible residents through the dark blue “Book a Vaccine” button on toronto.ca/covid-19 or by calling the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900. Capacity at City-run clinics this week is just over 65,000, which represents the number of doses made available by the Province. The City will open more appointments as vaccine supply permits. Those seeking a vaccine appointment are also encouraged to register and check availability with healthcare partners through vaccineto.ca/, local pharmacies or healthcare providers.
Since May 14, there have been 1,837 new cases of COVID-19, with an average of 612 new cases per day. Since the start of the pandemic there have been a total of 161,904 cases of COVID-19. There are 1,011 people hospitalized. To date, there have been 3,271 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. In total, 161,904 people have recovered. Case status data can be found on the Toronto Public Health’s reporting dashboard.
For the current wave of COVID-19 in Toronto, amplified by variants of concern, staying home and following public health guidance is the best way to keep everyone safe. Please review the City’s COVID-19: Guide for Residents for public health guidance and information on what is and is not permitted under provincial regulations and City bylaws.
Quotes:
“Thank you to everyone involved in our Team Toronto vaccination efforts. You have helped get us to the point where more than 60 per cent of eligible Toronto residents are vaccinated. You are heroes who are ensuring we will be able to get through this pandemic and reopen safely. And thank you to the 60.1 per cent of Toronto residents – a healthy majority – who have already stepped forward to get their shot.”
– Mayor John Tory
“As we mark this milestone, I want to thank all our partners in the Team Toronto effort, from hospitals and pharmacies, to community clinics and local organizations on the ground working to spread the word and get Torontonians vaccinated. We will continue to scale up our efforts until every resident, in every corner of our city, has access to a vaccine. This is how we beat this pandemic.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health
“Sixty per cent of adults, 18 years of age or older, have received at least one dose of vaccine. That is great achievement. When you consider the entire population of the city – which includes children under 12 who aren’t eligible for vaccination – just over fifty per cent of people have had a first dose. That’s a considerable number of people still at risk. While we mark a great milestone, let’s redouble our efforts, Toronto. Get a vaccine as soon as you can, and continue to practice the steps for self-protection.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health
“The City of Toronto, along with our Team Toronto vaccine partners, continue to work seven days per week to administer as many COVID-19 vaccines as possible. Reaching the 60 per cent target is an important public health milestone that moves us even closer to the day when COVID-19 is behind us and when we can once again enjoy the activities we all miss so badly. Thank you to everyone who has endured so much and who continue to work so hard to help us beat COVID-19.”
– Chief Matthew Pegg, General Manager of the Office of Emergency Management
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.