In an effort to increase vaccinations in high traffic areas, the city of Toronto is launching #VaxGiving for the Thanksgiving long weekend and following week.

The campaign will run from Oct.7-15, and clinics will be stationed in TTC stations, malls, schools, community centre and libraries.

Further, there will be a late-night pop-up clinic in Toronto Centre’s St. Jamestown on Friday, Oct. 8 until 11 p.m. Overall, there will be 18 clinics operating during this campaign.

The placement of these clinics will be in neighbourhoods that have lower vaccination rates, which is similar to the city’s days of vaxtion campaign in September.

As of Oct. 4, more than 200,000 eligible residents still needed a first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the city’s research.

Toronto Mayor John Tory commented on the launch of the VaxGiving in front of a mobile vaccine clinic:

"All of these clinics are in areas where we are working vaccination rates which are lower the average in the rest of the city," said Toronto Mayor John Tory in a recent press release. "We're going where the data tells us we need to go and where we know these locations will be easy for people in these areas to visit."

“Thank you to every member of Team Toronto who are all working to get people vaccinated this Thanksgiving. We are all so thankful for the work of everyone involved in this vaccination effort, it will ensure this holiday can be a bit more normal than last year and that next Thanksgiving, this pandemic will be behind us," Tory added in the release. "This weekend, if you’re not vaccinated yet, please don’t put it off any longer. Come out to one of our VaxGiving clinics and get vaccinated. Getting vaccinated now will give you freedom. This is all part of our steady progress to get people vaccinated – as I've said before, we've vaccinated millions so we just have thousands left to go."

Spadina-Fort York City Councillor and Chair of the Toronto Board of Health Joe Cressy said there pop-ups will be open in a number of community spots over the long weekend.

“In churches and libraries, in malls and community centres: this holiday weekend, there are pop-up vaccine clinics open across our city for Torontonians to get their shots," said Cressy. "There’s no better way to give thanks – including to our frontline and health care heroes that have sacrificed so much to keep us safe – than by rolling up your sleeves and getting your first or second dose. Come down to one of Team Toronto's VaxGiving clinics this weekend and get into the spirt of the season.”

Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa also commented on the campaign:

“This Thanksgiving weekend's VaxGiving campaign is another way our Team Toronto partners are coming together to bring vaccines to residents at convenient times and locations across our city. With further holidays and colder weather season just around the corner, if you haven't already, I encourage you to make getting your COVID-19 vaccine at one of the VaxGiving clinics this weekend part of those plans. Getting fully vaccinated protects your health and the health of those around you, and will preserve our city's vaccination progress towards ending this pandemic.”

This week, Dr. de Villa cautioned Toronto residents about gathering for the Thanksgiving weekend indoors. Small, Indoor gatherings without masks are permitted, but she urges hosts to ensure all attendees are fully vaccinated.

If unvaccinated individuals like children are around, de Villa is advising gatherings to be hosted outdoors.

So far, about 82 per cent of Ontario residents ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated.

The end of September and early October marks the deadlines given to city workers, including TTC workers, and to healthcare workers to be show proof of full vaccinations. Individuals that are not fully vaccinated will be suspended without pay or be fired.

The province is averaging close to 600 positive COVID-19 cases this week.

The seven-day average is 565, with close to 5000 actives cases in the province according to the Ontario government website.

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