For the second year in a row, Team Toronto’s Vax The Holidays campaign is bringing COVID-19 and flu vaccination clinics to Toronto malls and popular community hubs. The campaign launches today and will focus on providing COVID-19 and flu vaccinations to as many Torontonians as possible throughout the holiday season.
Vax The Holidays features mobile and pop-up vaccine clinics and is focused on making sure locations are easily accessed and in areas where large groups of people will be gathering in the coming weeks, including busy holiday shopping locations. Toronto Public Health (TPH) is strongly encouraging people to receive the vaccinations during this month-long campaign to guard against serious illness at a time when hospital emergency departments are packed with people struggling with respiratory illness.
As of November 24, more than 26,000 flu vaccines had been administered at the City of Toronto’s six fixed-site immunization clinics and mobile clinics. As of November 23, more than 300,000 doses had been provided at pharmacies in Toronto. By comparison, at this time last year 257,000 doses were administered by participating pharmacies in Toronto.
The flu vaccine is free for people six months of age and older who live, work or attend school in Ontario. No health card is required at City clinics. Priority populations for clinics include families with children under the age of two, persons with no health card, seniors and other vulnerable adults
Flu vaccination appointments continue to be available at all six City fixed-site immunization clinics to people six months of age and older. People five years of age and older attending a City-run clinic or a participating Team Toronto pharmacy can be vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19 in the same visit.
More details on the mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Toronto and the select locations offering flu vaccines can be found on the City’s mobile vaccination webpage.
Eligible residents age five and older can choose from 30 mobile clinics set up in malls and community locations cross the city to get their flu shot and bivalent COVID-19 booster:
Additional information on where to get vaccinated is also available on the City’s COVID-19: Where to Get Vaccinated webpage.
The vaccines are also available at the six City-run immunization clinics which are:
Quotes:
“Making these mobile clinics accessible to Torontonians living in every corner of our city is a great way to encourage vaccinations as we head into one of the busiest seasons of the year. The second annual Vax The Holidays is a great initiative by Team Toronto to keep residents healthy and ensure they are able to get their flu vaccine and a bivalent COVID-19 booster close to where they live and work to protect against illnesses. I encourage all eligible Torontonians to take advantage of these clinics and get vaccinated.”
– Mayor John Tory
“It is not too late for residents to receive their COVID-19 bivalent booster and flu vaccines and receive the essential protection they provide. This is especially important as the holiday season approaches, and as family and friends are making plans to gather for the holidays. This is why Team Toronto is launching this campaign again this year and bringing the vaccines where people live, work and shop.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto 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.