This morning, Toronto Mayor John Tory announced VaxGiving, the City of Toronto’s latest campaign to encourage residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible against COVID-19. VaxGiving starts today and continues through the Thanksgiving long weekend to October 15, promoting varied vaccination options across the city for anyone needing a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
VaxGiving vaccination clinics are being held at TTC stations, malls, schools, community centres and libraries – places Torontonians live, work and play. The campaign also includes a late night pop-up vaccination clinic in St. James Town that will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. this Friday.
There are at least 18 VaxGiving clinics across the city for anyone needing a first or second dose. The full list of locations with clinic dates and times is available on the City’s COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated webpage.
The City’s VaxGiving push includes the start of several weekly recurring mobile clinics starting next Tuesday and running through next week at the following locations:
These six weekly recurring clinics will return at the same time and day of the week every week for the foreseeable future.
The City and Team Toronto partners are making it as easy as possible to get vaccinated as Toronto aims for 90 per cent vaccination coverage. As of October 4, 236,000 eligible residents still needed a first or second dose to join the 81.3 per cent Torontonians who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Anyone needing a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine is urged to make VaxGiving part of their Thanksgiving plans. Last year, COVID-19 case counts increased following Thanksgiving weekend and once the cold weather set in and people moved indoors. COVID-19 vaccines are an important public health measure to reduce virus transmission, to protect against severe consequences of COVID-19 and save lives.
Residents planning to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family are also reminded that COVID-19 continues to circulate in our community, including the highly-transmissible Delta variant. Speaking recently, Toronto Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa counselled all Torontonians to choose wisely, carefully and selectively when it comes to getting together and celebrating this Thanksgiving weekend. Tips on how to stay safe are available on the City’s COVID-19: Reduce Virus Spread Guide.
Quotes:
“Thank you to every member of Team Toronto who are all working to get people vaccinated this Thanksgiving. We are all so thankful for the work of everyone involved in this vaccination effort, it will ensure this holiday can be a bit more normal than last year and that next Thanksgiving, this pandemic will be behind us. This weekend, if you’re not vaccinated yet, please don’t put it off any longer. Come out to one of our VaxGiving clinics and get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated now will give you freedom. This is all part of our steady progress to get people vaccinated – as I’ve said before, we’ve vaccinated millions so we just have thousands left to go.”
– Mayor John Tory
“In churches and libraries, in malls and community centres: this holiday weekend, there are pop-up vaccine clinics open across our city for Torontonians to get their shots. There’s no better way to give thanks – including to our frontline and health care heroes that have sacrificed so much to keep us safe – than by rolling up your sleeves and getting your first or second dose. Come down to one of Team Toronto’s VaxGiving clinics this weekend and get into the spirt of the season.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health
“This Thanksgiving weekend’s VaxGiving campaign is another way our Team Toronto partners are coming together to bring vaccines to residents at convenient times and locations across our city. With further holidays and colder weather season just around the corner, if you haven’t already, I encourage you to make getting your COVID-19 vaccine at one of the VaxGiving clinics this weekend part of those plans. Getting fully vaccinated protects your health and the health of those around you, and will preserve our city’s vaccination progress towards ending this pandemic.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health
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.