25% of Toronto adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19; 75% received first dose
It’s a two-dose summer for at least 25 per cent of adults in Toronto so far.
The city marked two COVID-19 vaccine milestones on Saturday as one in four adults are now fully vaccinated against the disease and 75 per cent have received their first dose.
Mayor John Tory congratulated the city on its achievements while visiting a pop-up vaccine clinic at Varsity Stadium on Saturday.
“This is a significant accomplishment and I want to express my thanks to all of the health partners, to the people on the city staff, Toronto Public Health, all of those involved in setting up all the different clinics,” Tory said.
The city has administered more than 2.9 million COVID-19 doses since mid-December.
As of Friday evening, more than 808,800 people have booked a COVID-19 appointment at a city-run clinic.
Although the vaccine milestones are significant, Tory said the city isn’t out of the woods yet as the highly-contagious Delta variant is spreading throughout the province.
“If we want to make sure that the Delta variant does not get an upper hand on us, the best thing we can do to make sure of that is to take what is 75 per cent first dose and 25 per cent second doses as of today, a big accomplishment, and push those numbers up even higher. But that relies on people out there, people of the city, residents in the city of Toronto, to get vaccinated,” Tory said.
With more vaccine supply coming into the province, the city is adding 90,000 more vaccine appointments over the next two weeks.
Yesterday, Toronto added 30,000 appointments for the Moderna vaccine at city run clinics and 60,000 more appointments will be available on Monday. Residents can book these appointments on the provincial government’s booking website.
As Toronto is making significant strides in its vaccination program, Ontario is on its way to entering Step 2 of its reopening plan by Canada Day long weekend.
This week, provincial health officials announced that 20 per cent of Ontarians have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines and 75 per cent have received one dose.
These metrics meet Ontario’s criteria to enter Step 2 of the reopening plan, however, according to the plan the province must stay in each step for 21 days before proceeding to the next level. This means that the province won’t be eligible to move into the next step until July 2 unless the government approves a faster date.
On Wednesday, Premier Doug Ford said he will be speaking with health officials about possibly reopening earlier than planned.
“I'll be sitting down with the health table and Dr. Williams, and we'll make that decision. But no one in this province wants to open up quicker than I do,” Ford said. “I just can't wait. People are ready. Everyone has worked really, really hard.”
Ontario entered Step 1 on June 11, which allowed patios to open and non-essential retail to operate with capacity limits.
Step 2 will increase retail capacity sizes, allow indoor gatherings up to five people and expand outdoor gatherings to 25 people.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.