Scotiabank Arena to host mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic for young kids Dec. 12
TORONTO — COVID-19 vaccine clinics will be held at Scotiabank Arena each Friday from Dec. 13 to April 23, in a bid to quickly vaccinate kids and to promote the long-term health of kids and their parents.
The free-of-charge clinic, which can be taken by up to four people a day, will be held daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Dec. 13 to April 23. People who show up at the clinics will be eligible to receive a COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccine.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is the only thing that the federal government currently recommends as a way to protect kids against COVID-19. We know this one vaccine is particularly critical for kids who are younger than 12 months old,” said Dr. David Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Ontario Public Health Agency (OPHA).
Dr. Williams said that he hopes the vaccine will also reduce the risk of transmission of the novel coronavirus, which has caused more than 6,400 deaths worldwide as of Wednesday, according to a count by Johns Hopkins Medicine.
“The vaccine will be distributed in a similar way to the seasonal flu vaccine, but also will be given at the same location to ensure that it is seen as a positive and not negative at the same time,” Williams said on Wednesday.
During the clinic, parents will be able to pick up the vaccines and provide the child’s name, address and school, Williams said. The parents can choose to drop off the vaccines themselves or have the clinic staff, who will not be vaccinated themselves, bring them to pick up the vaccine to ensure safety, Williams said.
Once the parents bring the vaccine to the event, the clinic staff will distribute them, with a staff member who is unable to be vaccinated serving as the donor, Williams said.
The vaccines, which will be distributed across the country, will also be distributed by the OPHA in the lead up to the Ontario election.
Parents of immunocompromised children and those at high risk for or contracting a serious illness would not be able to get the vaccines.
People who have coronavirus and the flu are also not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine,