Today, Mayor John Tory and Dr. Eileen de Villa provided an update on the Team Toronto Kids COVID-19 vaccination plan for five to 11 year-olds in the City of Toronto.
As announced earlier this month, Team Toronto has been developing the vaccination plan for this age group for several weeks. The plan includes outreach and education, partnerships, and employing a needs-based and data-driven approach. The initial vaccine roll-out will include school based clinics in 30 Toronto neighbourhoods over a three to four week period.
A mobile school clinic model has been developed in partnership between Team Toronto partners, Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the city’s four public school boards. Strategically positioning school clinics, more than 390 schools and more than 55,000 children will be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccine through 230 clinics in 30 priority neighbourhoods. More clinics will be added and a full list of schools will be released in the coming weeks.
TPH is working to ultimately bring COVID-19 vaccinations or access to nearby vaccinations to all public schools in the city. In addition, children aged five to 11 will have an opportunity to get vaccinated at more than 450 participating pharmacies and dozens of fixed-site clinics operated across the City, including the five City-run immunization clinics. Currently, more than 110 doctor’s offices offer COVID-19 vaccines and more are coming on board.
Between October 29 and November 7, TPH and VaxTO surveyed parents and guardians of five to 11 year-olds to understand parents’ intent to vaccinate their children and how they would prefer to have their children receive their COVID-19 vaccine. The survey results have provided key insights to help inform the Team Toronto vaccination plan. Of the approximately 43,000 respondents to the survey, 66 per cent were certain or somewhat likely to have their child (or children) vaccinated. Respondents also indicated that they preferred to have their child vaccinated at a doctor’s office or their child’s school.
Team Toronto’s vaccination campaign is a city-wide partnership between TPH, the City of Toronto, local school boards, Toronto hospitals, Ontario Health Teams (OHTs), local health care organizations, more than 155 Community organizations, family health teams, pediatricians, pharmacies and social service providers.
Quotes:
“We are continuing to prepare for Health Canada’s approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for kids age 5 to 11 with our Team Toronto Kids COVID-19 vaccination plan. I want to thank the 43,000 people who responded to the survey from Toronto Public Health and VaxTO about youth vaccinations earlier this month. We are listening to families to make sure we do everything we can to help them access vaccines. These survey results are helping further drive our planning so that we can hit the ground running.”
– Toronto Mayor John Tory
“I’m encouraged that approximately 66 per cent of respondents to our survey of parents and caregivers on 5 to 11 year-old COVID-19 vaccination are ready and eager to get their children vaccinated when they are able to do so. When vaccines are approved and available in Toronto, we have a plan to ensure every child in our City is able to receive one.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health
“Last month we sent out a survey to Toronto parents and guardians of kids age five to 11. 43,000 people responded, letting us know how and where they would like to see options for their kids to get vaccinated, once Health Canada has given their final approval. We heard you – that’s why Toronto Public Health and our Team Toronto partners have planned 230 school vaccination clinics across 30 priority neighbourhoods. This first phase will serve over 55,000 kids, and subsequent phases are currently in development. At the same time, we’re working with doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and our own City-run immunization clinics to ensure that kids can quickly and easily get vaccinated. It’s all part of our comprehensive Team Toronto Kids Vaccination Plan.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health
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