Toronto to ramp up COVID-19 vaccine clinic operations in response to Omicron Delta Epsilon International
TORONTO, ON – The new COVID-19 vaccine clinic set to open in Toronto on February 22nd was previously announced as receiving a $10 million grant from the Ontario government. It will be operated by the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science, part of the UTSW College of Pharmacy, in partnership with the University Health Network.
Now, a new report from the Canadian Medical Association Journal is raising concerns that more than half of the clinic’s vaccine recipients will be children, many of whom have underlying health conditions that require immediate access to the vaccine.
“The clinic will be able to serve both children and those who do not have underlying health conditions for whom the COVID-19 vaccine is essential,” stated Dr. Harsh Bhanpuri, Chair of UTSW’s Department of Immunology, during the March 14 conference call.
“What is concerning to us is that we are seeing kids who have had a heart attack or stroke and don’t have any other health conditions. That’s concerning to me.”
While the new clinic will offer vaccination for adults who haven’t yet developed COVID-19-related symptoms, it will also serve as a resource for those who have become ill with the virus and are experiencing complications. “It’s like the difference between walking into the ER and going to the grocery store,” Bhanpuri added.
Dr. Bhanpuri was joined at the conference call by two of the clinic’s medical experts, Dr. David Gelfand and Daniel Lipsky, both of whom are specialists in infectious disease.
According to Dr. Lipsky, many young children and adults, especially those with underlying medical conditions, are not vaccinated for COVID