COVID-19 vaccination clinics head outdoors in effort to get shots in Ontario's littlest arms
The effort to get Ontario’s youngest residents vaccinated against COVID-19 is heading outdoors in some communities.
Next Friday, South East Toronto Family Health Team (SETFHT) is hosting a vaccination clinic at a popular local park in the city’s east end in the hopes of getting as many shots in little arms as possible.
The Aug. 12 clinic, which will be staffed by nurses, nurse practitioners, and primary care physicians, will be held at East Lynn Park on Danforth Avenue west of Woodbine Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Stephen Beckwith, SETFHT’s executive director, said they recently started holding COVID-19 clinics for children six months to under 5 years of age at their two east-end locations, but the “uptake wasn’t the greatest.”
Wanting to better connect with the community, Beckwith said they decided to pivot their approach and set up a vaccination clinic directly where children in the community go, a local park.
“We felt for younger families with kids, this made sense. …. We want to make sure it’s a good experience for the kids, but also the parents,” he said, noting a second outdoor vaccination clinic is being planned for the near future at a green space by SETFHT’s East York location at Coxwell and Mortimer avenues.
“It comes down to keeping the kids comfortable. The idea is to give kids the shot before school starts.”
Beckwith said they expect to vaccinate around 600 little ones at next Friday’s clinic.
“We only officially announced this clinic on Wednesday and already we’ve gotten tons of positive response. It’s been pretty crazy,” he said.
Family physician Dr. Nili Kaplan-Mirth has organized dozens of outdoor clinics over the last year in Ottawa, including most recently two "Junior Jabapolooza" events featuring live music in that city's Glebe neighbourhood.
More outdoor vaccine clinics for young children are already planned for next week and weekly in Ottawa until September, she told CP24.com.
"Our youngest children and infants are vulnerable to serious illness and hospitalization, if they end up with COVID-19. They are also vulnerable to long-COVID. That’s why it is important for them to get their doses of COVID vaccine," said Kaplan-Mirth, who urged all adults and older children to continue to wear masks.
"Rather than holding a clinic indoors, given that COVID-19 is airborne (and an infant or toddler or preschooler is unlikely to have a mask), we need to do everything we can to reduce the risk of spread. Outdoors creates a safer space to reach out to the youngest in our community - can’t find better ventilation than that! - and it also accommodates families with multiple children in tow.
To date, Kaplan-Mirth and her team of Ottawa Jabapalooza volunteers have administered more than 300 doses of the child-sized Moderna vaccine to little ones in the nation's capital.
Over in Hamilton, doctors Kerry Beal and Joe Oliver have also been working since January 2021 to get people from all walks of life in that city vaccinated by meeting them where they’re at.
They’ve immunized people staying at shelters and other congregate settings. They’ve stopped by encampments, food banks, and residential care facilities to administer the shot, and have even vaccinated crews on ships at the Hamilton port.
“Any time we have extra doses available, we find a way to get them in arms,” Oliver said.
Recently, Oliver and Beal and their trusted team have started holding rain-or-shine vaccination clinics for children six month to five years of age at two local green spaces.
To keep things light, organizers distract the kids with bubbles and give each person vaccinated a little certificate.
This latest effort kicked off last Thursday and due to high demand continued through the long weekend and beyond. People in need of a fourth dose are also welcome to stop by.
Oliver said it’s all about “trying to take every reasonable precaution to give children a safe and quiet experience” when they get their first COVID-19 vaccine.
People simply message Oliver on Twitter to request a shot. So far, they’ve administered upwards of 100 doses.
Oliver said it’s a good idea to get children vaccinated against COVID-19 before school starts as masking in schools is optional and there’s a “long way to go in terms of improving the ventilation” in these facilities.
And while the push continues for bettering HVAC systems in schools, he said the reality is that won’t likely happen before the new school year starts.
“Parents have spent over two years trying to protect their kids. … Another way for them to keep their kids as safe as possible is vaccination,” he said.
Immunizing children outdoors makes sense for many parents who may feel uncomfortable bringing their little ones inside to get vaccinated, said Beal, who pointed to the fact many young children feel scared and anxious in medical settings.
It can also be a struggle to get them to wear a mask inside, Beal added.
“Parks are friendly environments, places where everyone feels comfortable,” she said, adding they’d like Hamilton’s health unit to once again start offering outdoor vaccination clinics.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.