Toronto strip club hosts pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic

A pop-up vaccination clinic is happening Friday afternoon at an iconic downtown Toronto strip club.

Sex worker advocacy organization Maggie’s Toronto is hosting the clinic at Zanzibar on Yonge Street — the brightly lit strip club just north of the Eaton Centre.

“The city has targeted our communities at every opportunity through the pandemic, characterizing sex workers, our workplaces, and our communities as ‘dirty’ and public health threats,” Maggie’s wrote on Instagram.

“Sex workers are deeply invested in public health and safety. That’s why we show up and fight back.”

We’re running a vaccine clinic at Zanzibar because the City has shamed + degraded SW at every turn through the pandemic, even blaming us for the spread of COVID.

SW are deeply invested in public health + safety. That’s why we show up + fight back. #TOpolihttps://t.co/OTXN8pyc7X

— Maggie’s TO- Donate To Our Black SW Survival Fund! (@MaggiesToronto) May 31, 2021

The clinic will take place from 1 pm to 7 pm, and health workers from Unity Health and Sherbourne Health will administer the first Pfizer doses. People who get their shot will also have the option of confirming their second dose appointment.

Although it’s being organized by a sex worker organization, the clinic is open to anyone. No identification or OHIP card is required.

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Maggie’s is also calling on the City of Toronto to support the sex work industry through the pandemic by cancelling licensing fees while strip clubs are closed, reimbursing workers for lost wages, and ending “predatory” policing.

Maggie’s also runs private vaccination clinics for sex workers, and those who are interested can get more details by emailing [email protected].