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COVID-19 vaccines being offered on campus through Ryerson Medical Centre

By Prapti Bamaniya

If you’re looking to get vaccinated on campus this semester, you can do so at the Ryerson Medical Centre, which has been offering COVID-19 vaccines to students, staff and faculty on campus since Oct. 5, according to an announcement on Ryerson’s website.

After the recent closing of the Ryerson community vaccination pop-up clinic in the summer, the university worked with its community partners—Regent Park Community Health Centre and Toronto Public Health—at the Ryerson Medical Centre to allow greater access to vaccinations for those who wanted them.

“I definitely think it’s a good idea for the Medical Centre to be offering COVID-19 vaccines,” said Thomas Tenkate, associate professor at Ryerson’s School of Occupational and Public Health. He said that after the university’s requirement for proof of vaccination, it’s fair for Ryerson to provide the means necessary for students to fulfill those requirements.

“In order to be able to help people [get vaccinated] in the easiest way possible, you need to have as many opportunities, venues or facilities for them to do that.”

In a statement to The Eyeopener, the Ryerson Medical Centre said many students, staff and faculty at Ryerson are taking advantage of the vaccinations offered by the centre, but are also using other regular pop-ups that Ryerson community partners—Regent Park Community Health Centre and Toronto Public Health—are hosting.

“Employers have a responsibility to ensure a safe workplace for their employees”

The university requires an appointment to get vaccinated at the medical centre. Students can call the Ryerson Medical Centre at (416) 979-5070 to schedule an appointment. 

Tenkate said Ryerson is taking the right steps. “Employers have a responsibility to ensure a safe workplace for their employees,” he said. Although there was initially some skepticism about whether the university should enforce vaccination, Tenkate said “it was decided early on that it was a reasonable thing to do in order to meet their obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.”

The previous vaccination clinic, held in conjunction with Unity Health, was located at the Daphne Cockwell Health Sciences Complex and shut down on July 29. 

“Since it opened earlier this summer, the Ryerson community pop-up vaccination clinic has provided more than 15,000 vaccinations thanks to more than 80 nurses, doctors and administrative staff from the university who devoted their time and expertise to help the city recover from the pandemic,” said a Ryerson statement about the clinic’s closure. 

The previous clinic was said to close due to reduced need and decrease in vaccine demand, according to a university statement. Currently, almost 82 per cent of Toronto residents above the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, according to the City of Toronto.

“Ryerson University strongly encourages all community members to protect themselves and their loved ones by getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Each of us has the power to help protect our classmates, professors, colleagues, friends and family members and to help stop the spread of the virus and reduce its harmful impacts,” said the university in a statement to The Eyeopener

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