City of Toronto vaccination clinics open throughout Easter weekend for eligible residents

The City of Toronto vaccine clinics will be open throughout the Easter weekend to continue to vaccinate all people age 70 and older against COVID-19.

To date, more than 493,867 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in Toronto by the City, hospitals, healthcare partners, and pharmacies. More than 71,268 people have booked COVID-19 vaccination appointments at a City-run clinic.

Appointments are available throughout the holiday weekend and residents born in 1951 or earlier are encouraged to book now to secure an available appointment. The City’s mass immunization clinics were planned to run seven days per week once opened, including through all holidays. City officials confirmed today that the sites have enough COVID-19 vaccine supply and staff to remain open over Easter to get as many people vaccinated as soon as possible. Appointments are still available on Good Friday, Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

This weekend, the most important thing to do with family is help protect them from COVID-19. Anyone not yet eligible for vaccination should reach out to their older relatives and friends and encourage them to get vaccinated, help with the booking process and, whenever possible, help coordinate transportation. When attending an appointment, people can bring someone to assist them – whether with transportation, mobility, translation or any other need. The City has information on booking options, clinic maps, accessibility information and transportation options all available on www.toronto.ca/covid-19.

Available appointments
Five City-operated clinics for eligible residents are up and running, with a sixth City-operated clinic at The Hangar opening on Monday, April 5. Appointment availability from tomorrow, Wednesday, March 31 to Monday, April 5 are outlined below:

Many appointments remain available at the following sites:
1.      Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front St. W.
2.      Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Rd.

Some appointments remain available at the following sites:
3.      Scarborough Town Centre, 300 Borough Dr.
4.      Malvern Community Recreation Centre, 30 Sewells Rd.

The following sites are fully booked over the weekend:
5.      Mitchell Field Arena, 89 Church Ave.
6.      The Hangar, 75 Carl Hall Rd. (opening Monday, April 5)

Maps, travel directions and pictures are available for all clinics, including details about parking.

Booking an appointment
There are several options for people over age 70 or someone helping them to book an appointment at a City-operated clinic or at a preferred hospital.
The easiest ways for eligible seniors to book appointments are:
•       Online (City-operated clinics): https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/
•       Phone (City-operated clinics): 1-888-999-6488 (TTY 1-866-797-0007)
•       Online (hospital clinics): www.vaccineto.ca
•       Phone (hospital clinics): 1-888-385-1910

For those not sure which clinic location is most convenient or looking for directions, a map of vaccination options in Toronto is on the City’s COVID-19: Vaccine Clinic Locations webpage: www.toronto.ca/COVID19vaccinemap.

Arriving at a clinic
When a person with an appointment arrives at a City-operated clinic and has parked in the free parking or been dropped off, there will be signs leading to the clinic entrance, including to accessible entry options.

The City is working hard to ensure there are no lines – and everyone can help by arriving no more than 15 minutes early for an appointment. If there is a line, there will be staff outside and chairs and water available. The City has added clinical and non-clinical staff to all clinics to ensure a speedier intake process. The entire vaccination process should take around 30 minutes.

Getting to clinics (City-operated)

Metro Toronto Convention Centre
•       Free parking for one hour in the north garage; take a ticket to enter and to leave follow signs through to the designated COVID-19 Immunization clinic exit
•       Easy for drop-off and pick-up
•       Short walk from Union Station and St. Andrew TTC station

Toronto Congress Centre
•       Large amount of free parking
•       Easy for drop-off and pick-up
•       TTC bus service from Lawrence West and Kipling TTC stations

Scarborough Town Centre
•       Free parking is available in the mall parking lots (5 hours maximum), parking lot 2 and lot 5 are closest to the clinic
•       Easy for drop-off and pick-up
•       Short walk from Scarborough Centre TTC station; follow signs to exit the mall at entrance #1 and walk a short distance following signs to clinic

Malvern Community Recreation Centre
•       Limited parking
•       TTC bus service from Scarborough Centre TTC station

Mitchell Field Arena
•       Limited parking on the west side of the arena
•       Short walk from North York Centre TTC station
•       Shuttle bus service from Finch station at least every 30 minutes

Help getting to a clinic (Vaccine Equity Transportation Plan)
The City has partnered with transportation organizations to get eligible seniors, adults with disabilities and adults who are immunocompromised to and from vaccination appointments within Toronto. The program is not fully up and running yet but does have rides available this week. To book a ride contact:
•       Toronto Ride, www.torontoride.ca or 416-481-5250
•       iRide, www.circleofcare.com/vaccinerides or 1-844-474-3301
•       Scarborough Ride, https://www.schcontario.ca/scarboroughride.html or 416-736-9372

Additional details about eligibility, how to book and transportation options are all on the City’s COVID-19 webpages: www.toronto.ca/covid-19. As Toronto continues the rollout of mass immunization, to reduce and eliminate the transmission of COVID-19, protect the healthcare system and save lives, the City continues to urge all residents to stay home as much as possible to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Quotes:

“I know we all want to get back to celebrating holidays safely with our family and friends. The best way for that to happen and to bring the pandemic to an end is for all of us to get vaccinated. I encourage everyone who is eligible to book an appointment this weekend to get vaccinated. If you know someone who is eligible to get their vaccine, reach out to them and offer to help them secure an appointment and get vaccinated. Thank you to all our City workers who will be vaccinating eligible residents throughout the Easter weekend. You’re an essential part of the Team Toronto effort to get shots in arms and make sure people are protected.”
– Mayor John Tory

“We can’t beat this pandemic without vaccines. That’s why we’re urging every Torontonian who is currently eligible to sign up to book a vaccination appointment at one of our City-operated clinics or hospital clinics across Toronto. If you need help getting to a clinic, the City has partnered with local organizations to provide transportation options. By getting vaccinated against COVID-19, you’re doing your part to stay safe and help protect yourself, your family, your community and our city.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health

“For anyone who misses hugging someone else, anyone who wants to see their grandchildren grow year-over-year, anyone who wants to spend time close to someone else – without thinking about whether it’s safe or not – the vaccines are the answer. Vaccination provides the path forward to all those activities that we have missed so much for more than a year now. If you’re able to book an appointment this week, I encourage you to do so.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Medical Officer of Health

SOURCE  City of Toronto

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