This weekend, the City of Toronto and vaccination partners anticipate that at least a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be administered to 50 per cent of adults age 18 or older in Toronto. Team Toronto will reach 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 300 vaccination partners.
To date, 1,379,532 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Toronto. The Team Toronto effort is focused on getting as many residents vaccinated as quickly as possible based on available supply. It is also expanding mobile vaccination efforts across Toronto to bring vaccine to the neighbourhoods most in need.
Today, as part of the community-lead Team Toronto Mobile Strategy, Toronto health sector partners, community health clinics and community agencies are partnering to vaccinate 12,510 people age 18 years and older at the following pop-up clinics:
In addition, tomorrow, a pop-up clinic at Thorncliffe Park Community Hub for postal codes M3C and M4H will vaccinate 4,032 people.
Currently, all people age 50 and older, individuals with high-risk health conditions and essential workers unable to work from home listed in the Province’s Group One are eligible to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments. Individuals 18 and older in 2021 living in 53 provincial hot spot postal codes are also eligible for vaccination at City of Toronto COVID-19 vaccination clinics.
Toronto residents 40 years of age and older can book vaccination appointments at participating pharmacies to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. Anyone age 18 or older living in one of the 17 hot spot areas can get vaccinated at community mobile or pop-up clinics. COVID-19 vaccines, no matter where you get them, are available free of charge. A full list of eligible groups with information on how to register for appointments is available on the City’s COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated webpage: www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-vaccines/covid-19-how-to-get-vaccinated/?accordion=vaccine-eligibility.
As of this morning, approximately 629,152 people have booked COVID-19 vaccination appointments at a City-run clinic.
Yesterday, the City added more than 17,000 new appointments spread across five City-operated clinics for the week of May 10 due to confirmed additional vaccine supply. As additional vaccine is provided to the City, the City Immunization Task Force is ready to expand clinic operations to match. Appointments at City-operated immunization clinics are available through the Province’s online booking system. Eligible residents are encouraged to book an appointment by clicking the blue “Book a Vaccine” button at www.toronto.ca/covid-19 or through phone by calling the Provincial Vaccine Booking Line at 1-833-943-3900. For more information about what to expect when you get a COVID-19 vaccine please visit, http://covid-19.ontario.ca/get-covid-19-vaccine#how-to-schedule-a-vaccination.
The City and healthcare partners are working to operate a total of approximately 36 clinics this weekend, including mobile teams and on-site clinics, to vaccinate priority groups identified by the Province of Ontario’s priority framework. These clinics are only vaccinating those in the priority groups who have confirmed appointments.
City of Toronto immunization clinics
Unity Health Toronto, Downtown East Toronto OHT and West Toronto OHT
For more information, please visit https://unityhealth.to/.
University Health Network
For more information, please visit www.uhn.ca.
Michael Garron Hospital – East Toronto Health Partners
For more information, please visit www.tehn.ca.
North York General Hospital – North York Toronto Health Partners
For more information, please visit www.nygh.on.ca.
Scarborough Health Network
For more information, please visit www.shn.ca.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
For more information, please visit https://sunnybrook.ca/.
Humber River Hospital and North Western Toronto Ontario Health Team
For more information, please visit www.hrh.ca.
The City, Toronto Public Health, hospitals and community healthcare centres are all working together to get Torontonians vaccinated as quickly as possible. Getting vaccinated protects individuals, their close contacts and the community. As vaccine supply for the general population becomes widely available from the Government of Canada and the Province, more than 350 clinics, including pharmacies and mobile clinics across Toronto, will vaccinate people following the priority framework established by the Province.
To view a map and search for clinic locations across Toronto, including City-run facilities, pharmacies and hospitals, please visit www.toronto.ca/COVID19vaccinemap.
Toronto, like all Ontario municipalities, is in the Shutdown Zone of the Province’s COVID-19 response framework and subject to a provincial Stay-at-Home order. Everyone in the city should be staying home except for essential reasons such as going out for groceries or exercise and being sure to stay as close to home as possible. Please review the City’s COVID-19: Guide for Residents for information on what is and is not permitted under provincial regulations and City bylaw at www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-reopening-recovery-rebuild/covid-19-guide-for-toronto-residents/.
Quotes:
“This weekend we are reaching another milestone in our Team Toronto vaccination efforts with 50 per cent of eligible people vaccinated. Thank you to all our hospital and healthcare partners who are working with the City and community organizations to get residents vaccinated. This work over the last several weeks has included a focus on the hottest hot spot postal codes. It is making a major difference in our fight against COVID-19. Thank you as well to every resident who has stepped forward to get vaccinated when they became eligible. This is a non-stop effort. It’s about saving lives and getting life back to normal. It’s about hope, summer, jobs, family and good health. Now let’s get on to 65 per cent Toronto – on our way back to the lives we know and love.”
– Toronto Mayor John Tory
“This weekend, we will reach an important milestone with more than 50 per cent of adults 18+ in Toronto having received their first dose of vaccine. Over 1.3 million doses have now been administered in Toronto, and first-dose vaccine coverage rates have tripled in our hardest-hit neighbourhoods. This is excellent progress, but there’s still much more to do. Until every resident, in every corner of our city, has access to the vaccine, we’ll continue to scale up our Team Toronto efforts.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health
“Reaching this milestone — 50 per cent of Torontonians aged 18 years and older — reminds us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. This is a long tunnel though, and we have work to do before we see the end. But, we know, that after as little as four weeks after a first dose of vaccine, that single dose can help prevent an outbreak, a fourth wave and help save lives. Hold onto the light, Toronto.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health
“I am truly delighted that by the end of this weekend, half of all people in Toronto who are eligible for a vaccine will have received at least one dose, providing some protection against this relentless virus. This milestone is only made possible by the tireless efforts of City staff and our many healthcare and community partners who have been working non-stop to ensure that we get as many vaccines in as many arms, as quickly as possible. While there’s still a way to go, I am proud of the collaborative efforts of Team Toronto that will eventually help us to get our city back.”
– Chief Matthew Pegg, Toronto 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.