'What is it worth to save a life?': Toronto mayor says city will continue push to reach vaccine hesitant
Toronto's top doctor says the city needs to "keep the doors open" to those who resistant to being vaccinated for COVID-19 as it pushes toward the goal of vaccinating 90 per cent of eligible residents.
Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa told reporters Wednesday that the city has found that of the roughly 15 per cent of those vaccine hesitant in the city, approximately five per cent are "vaccine resistant."
And while the rate of vaccination may have slowed, Mayor John Tory says the city must continue its effort.
"What is it worth to save a life?" he said. "What's the cost to the economy of having another lockdown, what's the cost to kids?"
That thinking is behind a newly-branded city initiative called #DaysofVaxtion, consisting of a series of pop-up vaccination clinics starting Thursday through Sunday.
In an effort to make vaccinations as accessible as possible, the clinics will be held at a number of parks, schools and TTC stations, as well as on various spots including a street corner on Yonge Street.
The locations were chosen based on data such as vaccination coverage rates, infection rates and hospitalization risks.
A full list of the weekend's clinics can be found here.
Over 300,00 people have yet to be fully vaccinated in Toronto, officials said. About half of those have their first dose.
The update comes as Ontario reported 141 new cases of COVID-19 in Toronto Wednesday.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday night, the Toronto District School Board announced its employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1.
The TDSB outlined details of its COVID-19 mandatory vaccine policy, saying it will be subject to approved requests for exemptions under Ontario's human rights code. Employees who do not have a medical or disability exemption will be required to undertake an education session on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.
Meanwhile, Toronto Public Health said earlier this week it was conducting "public health investigations" at 23 Toronto schools due to COVID-19.
