Toronto Public Health gearing up to vaccinate kids 5 to 11 years old

Torontosun.com
Oct. 21, 2021

As Ottawa prepares to approve COVID-19 vaccinations in children younger than 12, Toronto Public Health is preparing to hit the ground running as soon as approval is granted.

On Wednesday, the city said preparations to administer the vaccine in children as young as five are underway, with partners across Toronto preparing what is described as a “multi-pronged campaign” to vaccinate nearly city 200,000 youngsters.

“If you are a parent or guardian of someone aged five to 11, I ask that you think about getting your children vaccinated once vaccine is approved for this group,” Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s medical officer of health, said Wednesday.

“Like the flu shot, this is so important, because protecting children through vaccination provides a protection that extends well beyond them, and will contribute greatly to ending the pandemic.”

Details on what form this vaccination roll-out will take have yet to be revealed.

Dr. de Villa also recommended those eligible to consider a third COVID-19 vaccine dose next month when annual flu shot clinics resume operation.

Toronto is about 215,000 shots shy of reaching the city’s goal of achieving a 90% full vaccination rate, said Mayor John Tory

About 123,000 of those, he said, have already had one dose.

The city is holding an appointment-free vaccination drive this weekend at six subway stations to help reach that goal.