On Sunday, January 23^rd, 2022, Humber River Health along with six Toronto partners held the latest mass vaccination event at York University’s Aviva Centre. The Vax the Northwest clinic administered the Grand Slam of COVID-19 vaccination, with first, second, third and children’s (paediatric) doses of vaccine. The clinic provided over 1,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to individuals of all eligible ages from Northwest Toronto neighbourhoods.

The purpose of the clinic was to prioritize communities with lower COVID-19 vaccination rates and grow vaccination momentum within Northwest Toronto communities. Humber was in partnership with the City of Toronto, Toronto Public Health, University Health Network (UHN), Black Creek Community Health Centre, Unison Community Health Centre, Tennis Canada and York University.

Background

Toronto data indicated that 87 per cent of individuals age 12 and older had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine prior to the event. With neighbourhoods such as Black Creek with three percent below, Glenfield Jane Heights with seven per cent below and Westminster Branson was 12 per cent below the city average.

In order to remove barriers to vaccination and encourage people to be vaccinated, clinic information was translated in languages including Arabic, Farsi, Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Russian and were distributed to the community to promote the event. At the clinic, interpreters speaking key languages were available, with additional translation capacity available by phone. People attending the clinic for vaccination were welcome to bring a support person to help with translation or any other needs.

Through the City of Toronto’s VaxTO program, thousands of text messages and broadcast voice messages promoting the clinic were sent out to Northwest Toronto residents. VaxTO connected by text with 8,000 people age 50 and older who were due for their third dose, living in areas adjacent to York University and select areas in the northwest with low third dose coverage. In addition, broadcast voice messages with general clinic information were sent out to an additional 30,000 people in these areas.

Highlights from the clinic include:

• An itinerary for children with kid-friendly activities. Humber River Health provided toy giveaways and a “certificate of bravery” following vaccination for children ages five to 11.
• Team Toronto partnered with the TTC to have 15 dedicated buses running from 11 different community hubs to the clinic. Free parking was also available.
• Tennis Canada gave away 1,000 tickets to the 2022 National Bank Open presented by Rogers, taking place August 6 to 14 at the Aviva Centre. Each individual vaccinated at the clinic had the chance to claim a free pair of tickets to Toronto’s WTA 1000 tennis tournament.
• Music and entertainment hosted by VIBE105 DJ O-Nonymous.
• Six incredible support dogs from the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.

Thanks to 272 staff and volunteers, 48 vaccinators, and all 7 partners, the clinic was able to give 1,693 doses of vaccine to the people of Toronto’s Northwest!

“Humber River Health was pleased to work with our partners at the City of Toronto, Toronto Public Health and Northwest Toronto to support this vaccination event. This event supports our ongoing efforts to vaccinate a large community in Northwest Toronto in a location that is closer to home.”

– Barb Collins, President and CEO of Humber River Health