As Toronto continues to reopen with loosened COVID-19 vaccine mandates this month, the city is ramping up efforts to offer booster shots for eligible residents.

Spadina-Fort York city councillor and chair of the Toronto Board of Health Joe Cressy said Team Toronto, the vaccine task force, is taking every step necessary to ease vaccine accessibility and information for residents.

“Increasing vaccine equity, removing barriers and providing opportunities is at the core of the Vaccine Engagement Teams' work," said Cressy. "For the community and by the community, local and trusted ambassadors make personal connections with their neighbors where they live, work and play. This includes door-to-door visits, targeted social media campaigns, connected with youth and engaging with grassroots groups."

Toronto Mayor John Tory outlines one of these new approaches–instead of previous automated messages, live calling will be used to notify residents ages 50 and over who have yet to receive a third booster shot. Tory said this group is most at risk of being hospitalized if they remain with their first two doses or less.

From gathered data, specific neighbourhoods will be targeted by this initiative. This includes areas under the city average of about 90 per cent fully vaccinated residents. Last month areas in Scarborough with 79 to 84 per cent vaccination rates were the city’s focus.

Further, Tory announced that these initiatives and several others will be funded by the COVID-19 Vaccine Engagement Teams Grants.

"This work is key to our city's recovery and for the well-being of all Toronto residents. What we are doing is working to drive up vaccination rates, and it is important that it continues," Tory said.

The funding, which is about $4.5 million, will see more partnerships with local community organizations and leaders to help vulnerable individuals get vaccinated and receive any other information required.

Tory outlines some groups and communities he says have been hit hard by the pandemic, and who tend to show lower vaccination rates compared to the city average, including some Black, Latino, Southeast Asian residents, as well as indidivuals who experience homelessness.

This month, vaccine passports and indoor restrictions were lifted as more in-person activities resumed in Toronto. The need for the passport and QR code indicating one's vaccine status was lifted on March 1.

While the mask mandate remains in place, Ontario Chief Medical officer of health Dr. Kiernan Moore hinted of dropping the mandate by the end of March in a recent press conference.

More details to come.

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