Amid a fevered push by Toronto residents to access an accelerated offering of second COVID-19 vaccine doses in response to concerns about the Delta variant, the City is opening up 30,000 appointments for those looking to get a Moderna jab.
According to a statement issued by the municipality, the appointments will be made available as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday. The block of appointments, exclusively made up of additional Moderna doses, will be between June 22 and 27 and are a part of a larger upcoming delivery.
“Getting a second dose of vaccine – any of the Health Canada approved vaccines – is critical to stopping the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19, protecting vulnerable people in the community and staying on track in reopening.”
Residents trying to book vaccinations on Monday when the Ontario government expanded second-dose eligibility expressed frustration with a lack of slots amid a surge of those looking for doses. Some in the GTA have reported being offered appointments dozens of kilometres away in different municipalities.
In Scarborough on Tuesday, thousands of people descended upon a pop-up clinic in an effort to get a second dose. A long, snaking line of people stretched out over multiple streets.
City officials noted as of Monday morning, all municipal clinics were 99 per cent booked. They called the additional Moderna doses “even more important” in addressing the demand.
“Even with these additional appointments, the City’s immunization clinics continued to have capacity to administer more vaccine doses if additional supply was made available from the other governments,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, public health officials noted 20 per cent of all Toronto adults have received second doses. As of Monday across Ontario, 74.9 per cent of adults have received at least one dose while 16.7 per cent of adults have received two doses.