Team Toronto Kids COVID-19 vaccination plan continues to vaccinate some of its youngest residents as quickly as possible. As of December 6 at 8:30 a.m., more than 60,000 doses have been administered to residents between five and 11 years old. In less than two weeks, approximately 26 per cent of Toronto residents in this age group have initiated their vaccination series by receiving one dose.
Toronto Public Health (TPH) continues to work with its health care partners to facilitate a positive experience for children and families. This week, TPH and Team Toronto are operating almost 50 school-based clinics as part of a data-driven and needs-based approach. As part of its neighbourhood-focused strategy, this initial phase offers 230 school-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics in 34 neighbourhoods reaching 55,000 children. Parents and guardians will be notified directly through their school, when a school-based vaccination clinic is being held.
Since the children’s vaccine dose became available less than two weeks ago, Team Toronto and TPH has held 114 school-based clinics offering vaccines to five to 11 year olds. TPH and Team Toronto will continue to roll out and deploy additional school-based clinics throughout the city as the COVID-19 vaccination campaign progresses.
TPH is also working with Ontario Health Team (OHT) partners to identify a schedule for mobile pop-up and school-based clinics over the holidays when schools are closed. More details on the final plan will be communicated to the public once the information is confirmed.
Appointments are still available for Toronto Kids Vaccine Day at Scotiabank Arena taking place this Sunday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The clinic will be superhero themed, with child-friendly branding, activities, giveaways of basketball and hockey tickets and jerseys. There will be entertainment by KiSS 92.5’s DJ Clymaxxx and CityTV Breakfast Television host Devo Brown. The vaccination clinic will also be attended by Carlton the Bear, The Raptor, Stripes and Duke the Dog, Paw Patrol characters Chase and Skye, Toronto’s first responder mascot Sparky the Fire Dog, with Toronto Police support dogs on-site to help children and families feel comfortable.
Appointments are also available at all five City-run clinics between now and December 24. Parents and guardians of children aged five to 11 have a number of other locations and vaccination opportunities across the city, including fixed clinics run by hospitals, Ontario Health teams, community health centres and more than 110 primary care providers and pediatricians. In addition, more than 240 pharmacies currently have pediatric doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine available, with more coming on line each week.
Appointments can be made for Toronto Kids Vaccine Day at Scotiabank Arena or City-run clinics by calling the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900 or through the Province of Ontario’s How to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment webpage.
The latest vaccination data is available on the City’s COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard.
Quotes:
“Our Team Toronto Kids COVID-19 vaccination plan has already helped 26 per cent of children in the city get their first dose. We are working non-stop to help families get vaccinated so they have the best protection possible against COVID-19. Thank you to all the kids – more than a quarter of all the kids in the city – who have already stepped forward to get vaccinated.”
– Mayor John Tory
“To our families, parents, guardians and caregivers, and finally our superheroes – thank you for taking the time and coming forward to get vaccinated to protect yourself, your loved ones and our city. We will continue to work closely with our Team Toronto partners to continue vaccinating as many people as possible, whether it is with the first, second and third dose in the upcoming weeks at clinics across the city.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health
“In less than two weeks, Team Toronto has vaccinated more than a quarter of all five- to 11-year-olds in our city. With tens of thousands of kids already booked for shots in the weeks ahead – and with our Scotiabank Arena clinic coming up on December 12th – we’re off to a remarkable start. Toronto, let’s keep going.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board 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.