Family doctors in Toronto, Peel start giving COVID-19 vaccinations

Toronto.citynews.ca
March 15, 2021

Some family doctors in Ontario started administering COVID-19 vaccinations in six regions Saturday.

The province announced this week that some family doctors in Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton, Guelph, Peterborough, and Simcoe-Muskoka will be administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot.

The Ontario Medical Association says physicians in those regions are asking for patience as they begin administering doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca to people aged 60 to 64 years old on Saturday.

They are asking people not to call their doctors’ office, saying that physicians will contact eligible patients.

The doctors are getting a limited number of doses -- some 29,500 shots -- but that could increase as more vaccine shipments arrive.

Another pilot project offering Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to residents aged 60 to 64 in pharmacies in three public health units -- Toronto, Windsor and Kingston -- launched fully on Friday.

TORONTO CLINICS

The City of Toronto says as of Saturday morning, more than 7,800 people have booked appointments for COVID-19 vaccines at City-run clinics. Appointments for Toronto residents that will be age 80 or older in 2021 can be made at this registration link.

The City says the link will be unavailable from 8 p.m. Sunday night until Monday morning when the province launches its new online booking system and call centre.

Approximately 22 clinics will also be open this weekend across the city to vaccinate those in the provincial priority group. The clinics, which include mobile teams and on-site vaccinations, are being operated by the following health care partners and are only open to those who have confirmed appointments:

Unity Health Toronto
Will hold two on-site clinics and a mobile clinic.
Will vaccinate approximately 883 people belonging to priority hospital and community-based healthcare workers, local pharmacy staff, local dentists and their staff, individuals 80 years and older, individuals living in congregate settings, members of the Indigenous community and shelter staff.

University Health Network
Will hold two on-site clinics and a mobile clinic.
Will vaccinate 240 people who are individuals 80 years and older and UHN, Sinai Health and Women’s College Hospital patients 80 years and older at the on-site clinics.
Will vaccinate approximately 60 healthcare workers at the mobile clinic.

Michael Garron Hospital -- East Toronto Health Partners
Will hold two on-site clinics, run one primary care pop-up clinic and deploy four mobile teams.
Will vaccinate approximately 1,235 people who are healthcare workers, first responders from Toronto Police Service, community members 80 years and older, hospitalized adults and individuals living in shelters.

Humber River Hospital and North Western Toronto Ontario Health Team
Will hold one on-site clinic and a pop-up clinic.
Will vaccinate approximately 1,377 people who are healthcare workers, first responders, patients and individuals 80 years and older, Indigenous adults and adult recipients of home care services.

North York General Hospital
Will hold three clinics.
Will vaccinate approximately 1,272 people who are hospital healthcare workers, community members 80 years and older and people living in shelters.

Scarborough Health Network
Will hold two on-site clinics.
Will vaccinate over 2,800 people who are healthcare workers, residents 80 years and older and individuals living in long-term care homes.

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Will hold two on-site clinics.
Will vaccinate approximately 1,800 people who are 80 years and older, Indigenous adults, community healthcare workers, hospital, long-term care and retirement homes staff and adults who receive home care.

According to the city, over 239,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given to priority groups so far.