The city will host vaccination clinics in all 25 city districts this Saturday, in an effort to increase the vaccination rate to 90 percent.
On Wednesday, Mayor John Tory and other city officials announced “Vax25” day for October 2, the latest bombardment by public health officials to reach those who have not yet received their first or second injection.
“It’s the last few miles that are always the longest,” Tory said, likening the boost from the vaccine to a marathon.
The one-day vaccination effort will be comprised of more than 35 separate clinics in targeted neighborhoods with low vaccination rates, the mayor’s Twitter account said. Several of the city’s mega clinics and other options remain open, even for walk-ins.
Dr. Eileen de Villa, the city’s medical health officer, said that “we are once again on the brink of a risky and uncertain period” based on current transmission rates and predicted that Toronto’s daily case count could rise to around 130 cases per day in early December and up to 600 cases. That would lead to nearly 20,000 cases in December alone.
“It would be a very complicated Christmas season and a new year,” he said, urging residents to plan Thanksgiving with caution.
“This is further proof that vaccines work and masking works and distancing measures work.”
Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, who runs the city’s emergency management center, said they are working to respond to complaints and concerns about the vaccination test, using an “education first” approach.
Most of the problems seen today stem from confusion, Pegg said, and clients don’t have a vaccine receipt on hand.
Reference-www.thestar.com