Pop-up vaccine clinics offering 4th doses at Toronto summer events

Globalnews.ca
July 18, 2022
Isaac Callan

A weekend of summer events in Toronto will offer the chance for anyone over the age of 18 to receive their fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose, the city’s mayor says.

In a tweet, Mayor John Tory confirmed Toronto Public Health would run five pop-up vaccine clinics at various events around the city.

The Honda Indy Toronto, returning to Exhibition Place for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, will be one location, while the Bloor West Street Festival will also host a pop-up.

There will be pop-ups at Bastille Day celebrations, the Toronto East Rotary Club Blues Festival and the Fringe Festival.

On Wednesday, Ontario’s top doctor, Kieran Moore, announced second booster shots would be available for everyone aged 18 to 59 beginning on Thursday.

The announcement came as Ontario is well into the seventh wave of COVID-19 driven by the BA.5 Omicron subvariant.

The new variant has increased in prevalence since early June and is now the dominant strain based on wastewater data, test positivity, hospitalization and ICU admissions, Moore said.

“Stay up to date with your COVID vaccinations,” Moore said, adding that the expanded eligibility is a “real call to arms” to those who have an underlying illness or are more at risk.

He said those who are young and healthy and who have had their first three shots will continue to have “very good” immunity in the next several months.