Toronto's hotspot pop-up COVID-19 vaccine appointments can't be booked online
Young Torontonians in hotspot neighbourhoods hoping to snag a spot at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic should listen for announcements from local community leaders and family doctors.
Toronto officials said Monday that appointments at these pop-up clinics aren’t bookable through the provincial vaccine portal or through the City of Toronto’s website.
Instead, community-based primary care providers, employers, faith leaders, and others will announce details of the pop-up clinics directly to community members.
“The eligibility that the province extended to those between 18 and 49 was and is limited to taking part in mobile and pop up clinics that are launched specifically in high-risk neighbourhoods,” Toronto Fire Chief Matthew Pegg said at a news conference.
He added this measure is to ensure the doses get to residents in at-risk communities instead of being snapped up by people from far away.
“It’s to serve people in community rather than people from outside,” he said.
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The pop-up clinics are the only way for people aged 18 to 19 in hotspot postal codes to access a COVID-19 vaccine.
People age 50 and up who live in the priority neighbourhoods can book an appointment at a hospital or City-run mass immunization clinic. Hotspot residents younger than 50 must wait for a pop-up clinic to be announced in their area.
Those over the age of 18 are only eligible to receive vaccine in neighbourhood mobile/pop up clinics as they happen. Notifications for these clinics is very specific – such as a specific building or set of buildings. 18+ are not eligible to book on Prov. booking System for now.
— Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) April 12, 2021
COVID-19 cases have been surging lately in Toronto and around the province. Dr. Eileen de Villa characterized the original virus strain as being “bulldozed” by the more transmissable B.1.1.7. (UK) variant.
In de Villa’s latest modelling, she predicts the city could see 2,500 cases per day if transmission isn’t slowed.
Ontario broke its single-day record for new infections on Sunday with more than 4,400 new cases. ICU admissions also climbed to 619 on Monday, their highest point all pandemic.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced schools will remain closed to in-class learning after the April break due to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases, concern over variants, and to take pressure off hospitals as ICUs fill with COVID-19 patients.