Toronto Libraries To Play Key Role In The Fight Against COVID-19

Team Toronto extends Vax And Read to bring more COVID-19 vaccine clinics to Toronto Public Library branches

Today, the City of Toronto announced the extension of Team Toronto’s Vax And Read campaign to bring more COVID-19 vaccine clinics to Toronto Public Library (TPL) branches throughout the March Break and until the end of March.

The campaign – which began on Wednesday, March 2 – has already operated 22 vaccine clinics in 12 TPL branches across the city, providing over 300 vaccine doses to Toronto residents. From today until Thursday, March 31, another 23 clinics will operate in 11 TPL branch locations. This will ensure a grand total of 45 Vax And Read vaccination clinics in TPL branches this month.

A full list of clinic locations and hours can be found on the City’s COVID-19: Pop-Up Immunization Clinics webpage.

Vax And Read is part of Team Toronto’s continued equity-focused, hyper-local mobile strategy to make COVID-19 vaccines as accessible and convenient as possible and to bring vaccines to where residents live, work, play, study and read.

“It is great to see the continuation of Vax And Read, which has been very successful in bringing easy to access and convenient vaccination locations to Toronto Public Library branches in local neighbourhoods across Toronto. Thank you to our Team Toronto partners, the Toronto Public Library and branch locations for facilitating these 45 Vax And Read clinics throughout the month of March. I urge Torontonians who have yet to be vaccinated to take advantage of our hyper-local vaccination clinic locations and get your shot to protect yourself and your community.”
– Mayor John Tory

“As we continue to remove barriers and find ways of making vaccines more accessible, extending Vax And Read will help even more Torontonians get vaccinated at their local library branch. This campaign has already helped many residents get their vaccine and now will see an additional 23 clinics at 11 library branches around the city. Thank you to all our partners for making this happen and thank you to all residents who have done their part to help protect our communities and neighbours.” – Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health

“We’re pleased that the vaccine clinics have been extended to the end of the month, giving more people an opportunity to get vaccinated in their library branch. We look forward to welcoming more people to the Vax And Read clinics.” – Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, Toronto Public Library

Library locations were selected by Toronto Public Health to continue to remove barriers and bring vaccines to residents in areas and settings that have low vaccination coverage and to residents who are at high risk of contracting COVID-19. Locations were chosen to facilitate easy access in places that are part of Torontonians’ everyday lives.

The clinics operate on a walk-in basis; no registration or appointments are required. Clinics offer first, second, third and paediatric COVID-19 vaccine doses. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are available.

Image source Toronto Public Library Twitter feed