Toronto administers COVID-19 vaccines to children aged between six months to five years

COVID-19 vaccines will be offered at five City of Toronto-run immunization clinics including Crossroads Plaza, Cloverdale Mall, Mitchell Field Community Centre, Thorncliffe Park Community Hub, and 1940 Eglinton Ave. E.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, parents, and caregivers were able to book appointments at city-run vaccine clinics on the provincial vaccine registration portal: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/.

Approximately 2,000 appointments at city-run immunization clinics over the next 15 days with more slots to be added in the weeks that follow.

A health card is not needed to get a vaccine at a city-run vaccination clinic.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine may be offered to children ages six months to under five years and was subsequently approved by Health Canada on July 14.

The safety of the vaccine was determined by the clinical trials with children between six months to under five years of age which produced a similar antibody response to that seen in young adults.

“The seventh wave of COVID-19 is in our community and is impacting residents, including the youngest in our city…now they will have the benefit of this safe and effective vaccine to protect their children,” Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, has said in a news release.

As the city-wide partnership continues to grow over the coming weeks and into the fall, this campaign would also make vaccines available at select Toronto hospitals and through Ontario Health Teams, primary care providers, pediatricians, pharmacies, and community organizations.

These organizations would directly manage bookings at these locations.

For children who have already had a COVID-19 infection, NACI suggests a wait of eight weeks after the start of symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test, before getting a dose of this vaccine.

In addition, COVID-19 vaccination telephone consultation services from SickKids Hospital and the Scarborough Health Network are also available to parents and caregivers to get answers to their vaccine questions.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)