Today, Team Toronto added 410 COVID-19 vaccination appointments for children ages six months to under five years at five City of Toronto-run immunization clinics. These new appointments are in addition to 2,000 appointments for six-month- to under-five-year-olds added to the provincial booking system yesterday. The City will continue to make more appointments available as additional supply is received from the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada.
The new appointments are available at Crossroads Plaza, Cloverdale Mall, Mitchell Field Community Centre, Thorncliffe Park Community Hub and 1940 Eglinton Ave. E. Appointments are available through the provincial booking portal.
A health card is not needed to get a vaccine at a City-run vaccination clinic.
Team Toronto is continuing to collaborate with healthcare organizations to provide vaccine access for families across Toronto. Vaccines will be available at select Toronto hospitals, Ontario Health Teams, primary care providers, pediatricians, pharmacies and community organizations following receipt of vaccine from the Province. Bookings at these locations will be managed directly by these organizations. Information about pharmacy locations is available on the provincial portal.
Health Canada approved Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages six months to under five on July 14. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that this vaccine be offered to children of that age group (www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/naci-summary-july-14-2022.pdf).
Clinical trials with children ages six months to under five demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and produced a similar antibody response to that seen in young adults.
Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect families, communities and individuals against COVID-19. Most children infected with COVID-19 have a mild or asymptomatic disease; however, some children experience severe disease and require hospitalization. More information can be found by regularly visiting the City’s COVID-19: Vaccines for 6 Months to Under 5 Years Old webpage.
For children who have already had a COVID-19 infection, NACI suggests waiting eight weeks after the symptoms start or a positive COVID-19 test before getting a dose of this vaccine.
In addition, parents and caregivers can get answers to their vaccine questions through the TPH Hotline, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, Telephone: 416-338-7600, TTY: 416-392-0658 or email: PublicHealth@toronto.ca or the COVID-19 vaccination telephone consultation services from SickKids Hospital and the Scarborough Health Network.
Quotes:
“We are working non-stop to help residents of all ages get vaccinated. Thank you to the hundreds of families who have stepped forward already to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment for their children under 5. Team Toronto will make sure we continue to open up more opportunities for young people to get vaccinated as more vaccine supply comes from the other governments.”
– Mayor John Tory
“There has been a tremendous response by families to book appointments to protect the youngest in their household. Team Toronto is working quickly to provide additional appointments now. In the days ahead numerous healthcare organizations will join the effort and provide vaccinations. This is truly a team effort as we try to protect our loved ones during the seventh wave of the pandemic.”
– Councillor Joe Mihevc (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Board of Health
“The seventh wave of COVID-19 is in our community and impacting residents, including the youngest in our city. Toronto Public Health is responding by providing additional COVID-19 immunization appointments for young children. In addition, the vaccination options for families with young children will increase as healthcare organizations in Team Toronto begin to receive and offer COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 6 months to under 5 years of age.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s 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.