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First-of-its-kind COVID-19 Vaccine Education Clinic Opens in Scarborough

 

Scarborough residents who are unsure about getting the COVID-19 vaccine may now book a one-on-one phone conversation with a vaccine expert through Scarborough Health Network's (SHN) new VaxFacts Clinic. Qualified, compassionate SHN doctors are available to educate people on the benefits versus risks of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, answer questions, and clarify the facts.

"Vaccine uncertainty is understandable and quite common. Our doctors are ready to listen, talk, and help you get the facts you need to make an informed decision, without judgment, in a safe space," said Dr. Latif Murji, Physician Lead, VaxFacts Clinic, and Coordinator, Global Health, Diversity, Health Equity at SHN.

In fact, experts say that, historically, there are three main reasons people may hesitate to get vaccinated, which the VaxFacts doctors help to address:

  1. Convenience: location, hours, accessibility, or taking time off work if side effects develop can be a deterrent
  2. Complacency: some people feel they are at low risk of becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 due to age or health status
  3. Lack of confidence: some individuals question the safety of the vaccine(s) or their ingredients (e.g., current vaccines do not contain animal products) and some lack trust in the health care system; this is more common among Indigenous and racialized communities due to historical maltreatment and experimentation, as well as present day systemic racism in the health system.

Vaccine confidence is the biggest hurdle for Toronto residents, with the top three reasons for uncertainty due to worry about potential side-effects (57%) or potential long-term effects (54%), or because they don't trust how quickly the COVID-19 vaccine was developed or tested (52%), according to an April 2021 vaccine survey by Ipsos and Toronto Public Health.

Meanwhile, the majority of Toronto residents (91%) would like to know more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, such as how long protection would last (60%), consequences of delaying the second vaccine dose (52%), how effective the vaccine is against COVID-19 mutations and variants (49%), and information about potential side-effects (47%).

It's not too late! SHN encourages anyone in Scarborough who has questions or concerns about the COVID-19 vaccine to an appointment as soon as possible. For more information, please visit www.shn.ca/vaxfacts.​