More than 60% of Toronto youth have received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine
The City of Toronto says that more than 60 per cent of youth between the ages of 12 and 17 have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Tuesday’s announcement comes amid a two-week “vaccination blitz” by the city, which continues this week and aims to get more needles in young people’s arms by way of more than 65 youth-focused clinics.
Over the last week, more than 10,900 shots were administered to youths across Toronto, according to the city.
In a news release, Mayor John Tory thanked families for speaking with their children about the importance of getting the shot.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective and will ensure young people are protected and ready to go back to school in the fall,” he said.
The city called the number of vaccinations completed an important milestone in the fight against the Delta variant, which officials have said is on track to become the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Ontario.
Provincewide, 51 per cent of youth aged 12 to 17 have received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the Ministry of Education said Tuesday.
A day earlier, the city announced that more than 75 per cent of adults had received a first dose of vaccine and more than 30 per cent of adults have received a second dose and are considered to be fully vaccinated.
Youths between the ages of 12 and 17 looking to get a jab can do so through the provincial booking system here. Those interested will receive the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine, which is approved for all individuals 12 years of age and older.
The strategy to vaccinate more young people in Toronto is being co-led by Toronto Public Health and The Hospital for Sick Children.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
BREAKING Manitoba government tables bill to end ban on homegrown recreational cannabis
Manitoba is planning to lift its ban on the home growing of recreational cannabis.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.