Toronto to pivot COVID-19 vaccine strategy, focus on ‘hyper-local’ approach

Toronto says it is shifting its COVID-19 vaccination resources and will be focusing on a “hyper-local” and “equity-focused” approach.In a press release Wednesday afternoon, the city said its crews along with Toronto Public Health (TPH) will be “shifting the city-wide COVID-19 vaccination approach to increase localized vaccination opportunities, outreach and efforts, as case counts and hospitalizations continue to decline.”The release said the city and TPH will shift resources to a “hyper-local, equity-focused campaign” and “continue to increase vaccination opportunities in focused communities with low vaccine uptake.” Ontario COVID numbers — 1,106 people in hospital, 319 in intensive care “While significant progress has been made across the city and in certain age groups, disparity in vaccine uptake remains as some communities continue to experience hesitancy and barriers to vaccination,” the release reads.The city said TPH will be bringing mobile clinics to 30 priority neighbourhoods that were identified through an analysis of “local, neighborhood-level data.”Mobile clinics will be brought to the following neighbourhoods:As part of this next phase of our vaccination efforts, #TeamToronto is shifting resources to a hyper-local, equity-focused campaign in communities with low vaccine uptake.@TOPublicHealth is bringing mobile clinics to 30 priority neighbourhoods, identified by local data.

pic.twitter.com/xMSn6Bmg4E— John Tory (@JohnTory) February 23, 2022The city said the new strategy also includes the expansion of COVID-19 vaccination clinics at community centres, and “restarting mobile clinic operations as shopping malls.”According to the release, 19 COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be held as part of the city’s Shop.