In a report to the Board of Health this morning, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa will announce that the City of Toronto leads global cities in second dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage among eligible residents 12 and older, 18 and older, and for all residents.
Using publicly available data, as of March 4, Toronto Public Health (TPH) conducted an analysis comparing the vaccination coverage for Toronto with several U.S. and international cities including New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles County, London, Berlin and Brussels. Overall, Toronto’s vaccination coverage is comparable and, most often, higher than the other cities reviewed.
By comparison, Toronto has the highest first dose and second dose coverage for all residents 12 and older, 18 and older, and all residents when compared to other major cities. Toronto’s first dose COVID-19 vaccine coverage (approximately 91 per cent) is second only to New York City (approximately 97 per cent). Following the Board of Health meeting, the full data analysis will be available on the City’s website.
As of March 17, approximately 88.9 per cent of all Toronto residents 12 and older have received two doses, with 91.5 per cent having gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. More than 64.5 per cent of eligible residents have received a third dose. The most up-to-date vaccine coverage data is available on the City’s COVID-19: Vaccine Data webpage.
Third dose coverage in cities was also analyzed. However, the number of cities that can be compared is very limited given that the eligibility for booster doses varies internationally.
While Toronto has the highest second dose coverage when compared to all major cities, Team Toronto and TPH continue to work hard to remove barriers to COVID-19 vaccination and provide opportunities for Toronto residents to get vaccinated. Team Toronto’s hyper-local, equity-focused approach focuses on neighbourhoods with lower vaccine uptake by bringing vaccines to where people live, work and play, which includes the recent Vax and Read initiative and other pop-up clinics.
These clinics operate on a walk-in basis; no registration or appointments are required and a health card is not needed to get vaccinated. Clinics will offer first, second, third and paediatric COVID-19 vaccine doses. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available. A full list of clinic locations and hours can be found on the City’s COVID-19: Pop-Up Immunization Clinics webpage..
More information about vaccination options across the city is available on the City’s COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated webpage.
Quotes:
“Team Toronto has worked hard to make sure that our city has some of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world. This world-leading vaccination effort has ensured we can move forward with the reopening getting further underway this week. Thank you to the millions of Toronto residents who have stepped forward to get vaccinated – first, second and third doses. You have helped protect yourself and protect our progress. Our efforts to help more residents get vaccinated are continuing because we know this is the best way to bring this pandemic to an end and make certain that Toronto comes back stronger than ever.”
– Mayor John Tory
“Team Toronto continues to make strides that we should all be proud of. Leading global cities in second dose COVID-19 vaccination coverage is a remarkable accomplishment, and it shows that Torontonians are united in protecting one another. Thank you to everyone who has worked to make vaccines accessible, and to everyone who has done their part to get vaccinated. Now, we will continue our equity-focused work to break down barriers and reach every resident, in every part of our city.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Board of Health
“Toronto’s high vaccination coverage for second doses, and increasing third or booster doses, puts us at the forefront of cities around the world to ensure our residents are better protected from COVID-19 and the serious consequences linked to this virus. Thank you to all Toronto residents who have rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated, and our Team Toronto partners for their continuous efforts. While Toronto has high vaccination coverage, we need to continue to work collectively to reduce barriers globally to ensure that everyone, everywhere, has access to all these life-saving vaccines to ensure we are all protected from COVID-19.”
– 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.