News Release
September 8, 2021

While the rate of COVID-19 cases is low in Toronto, it is growing. New case data shows more infections are now being reported among younger adults and unvaccinated individuals, who are seven times more likely to become infected with COVID-19. The new data was released today when Mayor John Tory and Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa provided an update on the City of Toronto’s vaccination progress. Toronto Public Health also reported an increase in vaccinations since the Province of Ontario announced a proof of vaccination system.

As of September 7 at 8 a.m., more than 4.6 million (4,602,453) COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Toronto. According to Toronto Public Health’s vaccine dashboard updated late Tuesday, 77.6 per cent of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 83.6 per cent of eligible residents have at least their first dose.

As of September 6, there has been an 18 per cent increase in first dose vaccinations administered to Toronto residents since August 31. The seven-day moving average for the first week in September did see a slight uptick in first doses administered from September 1 to 5. September 2 and 3 dose counts were the highest number of first doses administered since late July.

Submissions of out-of-province vaccination records have also increased following the Province’s proof of vaccination announcement. For some time, the average daily submission rate has been approximately 200, with daily fluctuations from 100 to 300. In the two days following the provincial announcement, Toronto Public Health received approximately 700 submissions each day – an increase of approximately 233 per cent.

During today’s media briefing, Dr. de Villa shared recent TPH data indicating that case rates among unvaccinated individuals are approximately seven times higher than among those fully vaccinated. Further to this, Dr. de Villa shared that current COVID-19 case counts in Toronto are now highest among the 20 to 29 age group, with older residents that become infected with the virus still more likely to be hospitalized.

To protect Toronto residents, TPH is targeting full vaccination for 90 per cent of residents. Approximately 336,000 Torontonians require vaccination to reach the 90 per cent target. Of those, 164,000 have already received their first dose. Vaccination is important because vaccines lower risks of severe illness, hospitalization and death.

Experiences in other jurisdictions have also shown that vaccines can reduce opportunities for virus spread, community transmission and outbreaks. This is why the City, Toronto Public Health and Team Toronto partners continue to urge people to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The higher the vaccination rate, the more protection the community will have against COVID-19, especially for those who cannot get vaccinated such as residents who may be immunocompromised and children under 12. Vaccines are another layer of protection to keep the city as safe as possible

Progress continues to be made in the COVID-19 vaccination effort. New data from Ipsos shows that at the time of the survey last month, 81 per cent of surveyed Toronto residents reported receiving either one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and there has been a 7 per cent drop in vaccine hesitancy since residents were surveyed in March 2021.

Among parents who have children 12 years of age or older, the Ipsos survey findings indicated that approximately 69 per cent of respondents indicated that their child has received one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The survey findings also show that approximately 64 per cent of parents with children 11 years of age or younger indicated that they would vaccinate their children should a vaccine become available for this age group.

The survey also found among those residents who have been vaccinated, 97 per cent were either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the vaccination experience. The results of the survey can be found on the City’s website: COVID 19: Vaccine Data

COVID-19 continues to circulate in Toronto, and vaccines are the best protection against the virus and the way forward out of the pandemic. Given the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the community, residents are urged to begin their vaccination, if they have not already done so, or get their second vaccine dose as soon as possible. Torontonians are also asked to continue following public health measures, including staying home when sick, practising physical distancing and wearing a mask when physical distancing is not possible.

Toronto Public Health is reporting 601 new cases of COVID-19 in the city for the four days since the last report – an average of 150 cases per day. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 175,496 cases of COVID-19. There are 83 people hospitalized. To date, there have been 3,624 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. In total, 170,229 people have recovered. Case status data can be found on Toronto Public Health’s Reporting dashboard.

The City and Team Toronto vaccination partners continue to make getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as convenient as possible. Community settings, organizations and workplaces are also encouraged to request a mobile vaccination clinic for their setting. Individuals can submit a request on behalf of their setting on Toronto Public Health’s website: COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated.

Quotes:

“We are continuing to do everything we can to help residents get vaccinated. The data shows that the vaccine is the best protection against COVID-19. It also shows more people are getting vaccinated following the province’s proof of vaccination announcement – that’s a good thing. We want more people to get vaccinated to help protect our progress and get safely through the fourth wave.”
– Mayor John Tory

“As we enter the last mile of Toronto’s vaccination campaign, the goal to see 90 per cent of eligible residents fully vaccinated is within reach. To date 83.6 per cent of eligible Torontonians already have one dose and 77.6 per cent are fully vaccinated – a world leading rate – and our public opinion research shows us that a further 8 per cent of Toronto residents are on the fence about getting vaccinated, not opposed. They have questions that need answers and barriers that need to be broken down. Toronto Public Health and our Team Toronto Partners will continue our work of scaling up mobile clinics and community outreach. We know exactly who we need to reach. We know they are open to receiving the vaccine. So, let’s keep going. We can do this, Toronto.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health

“As we approach fall, we continue to work hard to bring vaccines to residents, so that anyone who has not yet had a chance to get vaccinated, and wants to, can do so easily. By removing barriers to vaccination, we can greatly increase our vaccine uptake in all communities across our city. This is especially important to protect our community and our progress to ensure more ongoing access to all of the services we’ve missed over the past year and a half. High vaccination is the way forward to the end 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.