TORONTO

Toronto releases location of nine immunization clinics but they won't open until COVID-19 vaccine supply improves

Chris Fox CP24.com and CTV News Toronto Managing Digital Producer

Published Wednesday, February 10, 2021 4:02PM EST

Toronto Public Health nurse Lalaine Agarin makes preparations at Toronto's Mass Vaccination Clinic on Sunday January 17, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

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TORONTO -- The City of Toronto has released the location of a network of mass immunization clinics that it says will be capable of administering shots to up to 120,000 people a week once the supply of COVID-19 vaccines improve.

Fire Chief Matthew Pegg, who is leading the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, told reporters on Wednesday afternoon that some of the larger sites will have enough staff to immunize up to 40 people at a time while the smaller sites will be able to immunize somewhere between six and 15 individuals at once.

Pegg, however, said that the sites are not expected to be operational until the supply of vaccines starts to ramp up in early April.

“While the vaccine supply and availability issues continue to be worked out between the provincial and federal governments, we will be hard at work here continuing to assemble, build and prepare each of our nine city-operated locations to ensure that they re set up, that they are ready, that our staffing is in place and that we are ready and able to go as soon as the province can make vaccine available to us,” he said. “Our city operated clinics are just one piece of the vaccination plan. There will be many opportunities for vaccination for all Toronto residents once the supply of the vaccine is re-established.”

The city opened up a mass vaccination clinic at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on Jan. 18 as part of a “proof of concept” exercise but had to close it two days later due to a vaccine shortage.

Pegg said that site will reopen for two days only on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16 to administer second doses to the 378 healthcare workers who received their first dose at the facility in January.

He said that the other sites, meanwhile, are in various stages of readiness.

“The planning and preparation for the remaining eight clinics are well underway,” he said, noting that the city could “accelerate” its work if needed. “In fact the one at Malvern Community Centre has already been assembled and is ready to go as soon as vaccine is available. Further, the clinic inside the Toronto Congress Centre is being assembled now.”

Community partners will also operate vaccination clinics

Pegg said that each of the vaccination clinics will be operational nine hours a day, seven days a week.

He said that the clinic’s form the “backbone” of a overarching vaccine strategy, which will also involve additional clinics operated by hospital and community partners, mobile clinics and the further administration of the vaccine through physicians and local pharmacies.

He said that at this point it remains unclear who will be eligible to receive their vaccines at the city-run clinics once they open up, as the prioritization of residents is the responsibility of the province.

It also remains unclear whether the city-run clinics will be operating concurrently with the more widespread administration of vaccine at doctor’s offices and pharmacies, something that will likely be dictated by supply.

“There are I believe as many as 12,00 pharmacies across Toronto alone so the opportunity for mass immunization through community partners is exponentially higher than what any network of mass immunization clinics could achieve,” Pegg said. “That being said our commitment is to make sure we are ready.”

The location of the nine city-operated mass vaccination clinics are as follows: