COVID-19 Vaccine

Yes, our pop-up clinic is open Friday, May 7. There will be 100 walk-in spots available from 9-11am. 

Our clinic is located at 100 Stokes Street in the Sandi and Jim Treliving Gymnasium at the CAMH Queen Street campus. 

A reminder that proof of address and age is required. The following will be accepted as proof:  

• a health card, a piece of registered mail, pay stub, lease agreement, student card, government issued identification from other jurisdictions including: foreign passports, other provincial or territorial health cards, or drivers license. 
• Should a person have no identity documentation or photo documentation or is unable to provide verification of primary place of residence, they may work with their public health unit and/or community organizations to verify their identity. This may be provided in the form of a letter from a community organization or other identity verification form. 
• Expired government issued identity documents will also be accepted for this purpose.

While vaccine supply continues to be low and unpredictable for our small clinic, we are pleased to be able to re-open the week of May 11th. As eligibility continues to open for people in all categories in the mass vaccination clinics and through the provincial booking system, we are working to focus our specialty clinic on some specific populations.

We want to make sure we can reach people made vulnerable to serious illness or death from covid as a result of their mental illness, housing insecurity and other factors.

We will have about 200 appointments a day, starting at two days a week for appointments to CAMH patients – primarily outpatients with some slots for inpatients - who can walk over to the clinic. The clinic will work directly with clinicians to support a low-barrier way for CAMH patients to access these appointments.

In addition, we will work to continue to serve people 18+ in hotspot postal codes in our area (M5V, M6E, M6H, M6K, M6N, M8V), residents and some caregivers in congregate settings, and adults self-identifying at First Nations, Metis and Inuit working directly with community partners and agencies to book these appointments in a low-barrier way.

We know the need for vaccines continues to outpace supply. We are glad to see an expansion in eligibility across the province, including for people in the mental illness, substance use abuse and dementia category. Starting the week of May 10th, people in that category can book through the provincial system and are eligible to be vaccinated at the mass vaccination sites.

Unfortunately, we continue to have limited supply. As such we are pivoting our clinic to focus on our patient population and other high priority groups working directly with clinicians and partner organizations.

At this point, we only have enough supply to open the clinic for a few days a week.

No. That was a one-time community pop-up clinic at our vaccine clinic during the week of May 3rd. This pop-up supported Toronto’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts in the hotspot postal code of M6K for people 18+.

People in the risk category of mental illness, substance use abuse and dementia will be eligible to register for a vaccination through the provincial booking system the week of May 10th. We are glad to see this category recognized and prioritized.

CAMH has a particular expertise when it comes to serving people with mental illness. We believe it is important that we are able to provide a specialized clinic with staff who can support patients and other people who have difficulty navigating the system.

If you are a patient at CAMH (inpatient or outpatient) please contact your clinician and they will be supported to book an appointment for you. Alternatively, if you are a CAMH patient, you may be contacted by your clinician to book an appointment.

We serve more than 35,000 outpatients each year at CAMH so we know we will not have enough supply to vaccinate everyone.

For those in the other eligibility categories, we will be working directly with community partners and agencies to provide a low-barrier booking for those who have difficulty navigating the system.

We will also be providing a small number of daily appointments for eligible CAMH staff, learners and trainees.

If you have not already received instructions from our vaccine team about how to book your patients / clients in, please contact the clinic directly at vaccinationclinic@camh.ca.

We are currently administering the first dose of the Pfizer 2-dose vaccine. You will also be notified at the clinic of what vaccine you will receive.

If you require support or a caregiver, you can bring them with you to the appointment. If you are able to go in alone, we prefer that so that we can ensure adequate physical distancing.

No, you do not need to bring anything printed to the appointment. We have paper copies you can sign at the clinic and we will also go through a verbal consent process where we ask you the same questions.

We require that you wait 15 minutes after your vaccine to ensure that you are feeling well. Sometimes you will be asked to wait longer based on your medical history. We have chairs positioned 6 feet apart to ensure adequate physical distancing. There is large clock at the front of the room for you to keep track of time.

If you are eligible, you may be able to register for a vaccination through the provincial booking system.

If you are 40+, you may be able to access a vaccine through your local pharmacy. Check here for pharmacies offering vaccinations.

You may also want to follow @VaxHuntersCan, a volunteer-run Twitter account that shares information about available vaccination appointments.

In certain categories, you will be asked for proof of eligibility.

• For health care workers, you will be asked to show something that indicates your employment, e.g., an ID badge or a letter from your college with a registration number
• For adults age 18+ in COVID-19 Hot Spot Communities M5V, M6E, M6H, M6K, M6N, M8V postal code regions, you will be asked to show proof of age and postal code (e.g., driver’s license, passport or a health card plus a letter with address)

Appointments for your second dose will be scheduled in clinic during your first appointment. As per the Ministry direction, second dose appointments are being scheduled 16 weeks after the first dose. Currently you are required to make arrangements to ensure you can return to the CAMH clinic to receive your second dose.

Eligibility for shortened dose interval is limited and based on direction from the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

We want to make the experience of getting your vaccination as smoothly as possible. We have prepared a detailed summary outlining the clinic experience:

The CAMH Vaccine Clinic is located in in the Sandi and Jim Treliving Gymnasium which is on the corner of Stokes Street and Gordon Bell Road at the CAMH Queen Street campus. 

You may be asked to line up outside. CAMH staff in purple jackets may be nearby to help direct you and there is signage in English directing you to the Clinic. We ask that you please keep physical distance in the line-up and wear a mask.

Please have your health card or ID ready but you will still be admitted if you do not have either. 

Arrival

 At the entrance of the Vaccine Clinic you will meet a CAMH Greeter.  They will be wearing full personal protective equipment. Using an iPad, they will ask to confirm your appointment and verify which priority group you fall into. They will ask you for information to verify that group at this time if verification (e.g. proof of age or postal code or health care worker employment) is required.  

Screening

 You will enter the Vaccine Clinic and meet a CAMH Screener. Here you will be asked to perform hand hygiene by sanitizing your hands and you will be provided with a fresh surgical mask to wear. The CAMH Screener will ask you if:

• you are experiencing any flu like symptoms or symptoms of COVID-19
• have come in contact someone positive with COVID-19
• you have travelled outside of the country within the past 2 weeks 
• live or work in a setting  on outbreak with COVID-19

Registration

 You will be directed and meet a CAMH Registration staff. Here you will need your health card or form of ID. Accepted documentation includes but is not limited to: a driver’s license, passport, a piece of registered mail, pay stub, student card, government issued identification from other jurisdictions including: foreign passports, other provincial or territorial health cards, or drivers license. If you do not have some form of ID, please communicate this to the Registration Staff .  Individuals who are under documented or homeless may work with their community partners and local public health units to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This is where your information will be confirmed and you will be checked-in for your appointment.

Vaccination

Once checked-in, you will be directed to a Vaccination Station where you will meet a healthcare provider. If you have brought a printed and signed consent form with you, the healthcare provider will review your signed consent forms and go through health assessment questions and review possible risks. If you have not brought a printed and signed consent form with you, the healthcare provider will verbally review the content and go through health assessment questions. Those questions include: 

• Have you been sick in the past few days? Do you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have a fever today?
• Have you had a serious allergic reaction or a reaction within 4 hours to the COVID-19 vaccine before?
• Have you had a serious allergic reaction to a vaccine or medicationgiven by an injection (e.g. IV, IM), needing medical care?
• Have you received a vaccine in the past 14 days?
• Are you or could you be pregnant or breastfeeding?
• Do you have a weakened immune system or are you taking any medications that can weaken your immune system (e.g., high dose steroids, chemotherapy)?
• Do you have an autoimmune condition?
• Do you have a bleeding disorder or are you taking blood thinning medications?
• Have you ever felt faint or fainted after receiving a vaccine or medical procedure?

The healthcare provider will be happy to answer any questions you have. The healthcare provider will administer the Covid-19 vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, you will be provided with a label indicating the time you are able to check-out, which is 15 minutes after you have been vaccinated.

Monitoring

Once you have received your vaccine and check-out time, you will be directed to the monitoring area where you will be monitored by a Registered Nurse or physician. You will be given an assigned seat and you will be asked to wait in the monitoring area for 15 minutes to monitor for any adverse reactions. There is an analog clock in the gym that you can monitor. The monitoring staff will also be able to provide you with a time check if you require one. 

Check-out

Once you have been monitored for 15 minutes, you can check-out. The check-out desks are labeled with signs in English. During check-out you will be booked for your second appointment and receive an email or printed vaccine attestation.

There is a vaccination “selfie station” beside the check-out tables that you are welcome to use on your way to the exit. 

The entire process should take around 25 minutes.

We have prepared some information in multiple languages that might help answer some of your questions. Please see below.