The Team Toronto Kids COVID-19 vaccination plan has helped more than 10 per cent of five to 11-year-olds in Toronto receive their first dose in the first week that the COVID-19 vaccine for children was available in Canada.
More than 21,536 doses of vaccine for children aged five to 11 have now been administered in Toronto – that’s about 10 per cent of Toronto residents between five and 11 years of age who have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since the vaccination campaign for kids began.
Team Toronto is also continuing to make progress helping residents 12 and older get vaccinated. More than 85.7 per cent of residents 12 years and older have now received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and 89.2 per cent of residents 12 years and older have received at least their first dose.
To date, 58,758 appointments have been made available for children aged five to 11 years old from November 25 to December 24 at City-run immunization clinics. There are limited appointments still available at select City-run immunization clinics for this week. Hospital, health care partners, school clinics, pharmacies and more than 110 primary care providers and paediatricians are also providing COVID-19 vaccinations for kids five to 11 years old.
Team Toronto and Toronto Public Health (TPH) are continuing their efforts to vaccinate residents as quickly as possible. Team Toronto recently announced Toronto Kids Vaccine Day, which will see 2,000 kids get vaccinated on Sunday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Scotiabank Arena, led by SickKids, University Health Network (UHN), Michael Garron Hospital and TPH, and in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) and Scotiabank.
Children must be turning five years old by the end of 2021 (born in 2016) to be eligible to be booked for an appointment on the provincial hotline, or by calling the provincial vaccine booking line at 1-833-943-3900. More information on Toronto Kids Vaccine Day can be found here.
Residents 12+ who are still seeking their first or second dose or are eligible for their third dose can get vaccinated at clinics held across the city by our health care partners, pharmacies and mobile and pop-up. There have also been 28,266 appointments for residents 12+ at City-run immunization clinics available for the week of December 14 and week of December 21 through the provincial booking system. Find the closest vaccination location to you here.
TPH continues to urge residents to get vaccinated if they have not already done so. The COVID-19 vaccine has been scientifically proven to lower the risk of serious illness, hospitalization and death, while protecting yourself, loved ones and your community from getting sick. Residents are also urged to continue following public health measures such as mask wearing, good hand hygiene, physical distancing and staying at home if you are sick. If you are eligible for a third dose, please book an appointment today to ensure you have an extra layer of protection from COVID-19, as we head into the colder months. Find out if you are eligible for the booster shot here.
Quotes:
“The Team Toronto Kids COVID-19 vaccination campaign is off to a great start and has already helped more than 21,000 children get their first dose. I want to thank the families who have stepped forward to get vaccinated already and those with appointments booked in the coming days. These kids are superheroes who are helping us fight this pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccine provides the best protection possible against this virus and helps protect you, your family and your city. I continue to encourage all residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible so we can protect our progress as a city.”
– Mayor John Tory
“It’s been incredible to see so many families sharing their positive experiences attending our Team Toronto Kids vaccine clinics. We’re making great progress with 10 per cent of kids already vaccinated with their first dose, and tens of thousands more already scheduled for appointments. From our City-based clinics, to schools, doctors’ offices and pharmacies, our Team Toronto Kids approach means that there are a range of options across Toronto to make vaccination accessible for every family. Thanks to all of the brave superheroes who have already stepped up to protect themselves and our city.”
– 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.