Toronto expands pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics to more hotspot neighbourhoods

Toronto is expanding its Team Toronto Sprint Strategy to include pop-up vaccination clinics to four additional postal codes.

The postal code areas are located at M1B, M1M, M1P and M1L.

Toronto Public Health estimates there are 88,000 unvaccinated adults in the hardest hit parts of the four new postal code areas.

Two new, separate clinics are also coming to North Etobicoke.

Starting May 4, adults living in the M9V or M9W postal code areas will be able to get vaccinated at pop-up clinics located at Albion Arena & Woodbine Racetrack.

Albion Arena Pop-Up Clinic

Location: Albion Arena – 1501 Albion Rd (Kipling & Albion)
Date(s): May 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th
Time: 10AM-8PM (or until supply runs out)
Age Eligibility: 18 years or older
Postal Codes: M9V, M9W
Capacity: 2,400 vaccines per day

Woodbine Racetrack Pop-Up Clinic 

Location: Woodbine Racetrack – 555 Rexdale Blvd, Gate 10 (Rexdale & Highway 27)
Date(s): Wednesday, May 5th through Friday, May 7th
Time: 10AM-8PM (or until supply runs out)
Age Eligibility: 18 years or older
Postal Codes: M9V & M9W
Capacity: 2,400 vaccines per day

Both clinics will be on a drop-in basis with no appointment required.

There are currently 17 targeted areas in Toronto where anyone aged 18 or older can get a vaccination at a community mobile or pop-up clinic.

We're expanding the Team Toronto Sprint Strategy to include four additional postal codes for increased mobile and pop-up clinics.

We know from our public health officials that these doses will make a real difference in our fight against #COVID19. #TeamToronto pic.twitter.com/PP5ipcDqE5

— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 3, 2021

While over 40 per cent of Toronto residents who are eligible have now had at least their first shot, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, cautions the first dose does not give people full protection.

“The second dose is a vital boost to what the body learned from the first dose. It reminds the cells what they learned,” de Villa said.

Mayor John Tory says almost 100,000 additional doses will be going to the City’s hot spots the week of May 3 for mobile and pop-up clinics.

“These are shots in the right arms, in the right neighbourhoods, in order to meaningfully stop the spread of COVID-19,” Tory said.

RELATED: Guide to booking a COVID-19 vaccine in the GTA: Who, where and how

More than 130,000 appointments were booked by early Monday afternoon after the province expanded eligibility to include anyone 18 or older in 114 designated areas that morning, the government said.

The province’s online booking system “held up” during the surge of interest, as the province urged people who had technical issues to try to book again.

The Ontario government says an increase in the supply of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has allowed them to expand booking eligibility.

The Ford government adjusted the vaccine rollout plan for the month of May to accommodate for the influx of Pfizer doses.

The province projects all adults in Ontario will be able to book an appointment by the end of May.

With files from Fil Martino, The Canadian Press