All aboard the GO-VAXX bus

This month Facilities & Services partnered with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Metrolinx to bring a GO-VAXX pop-up vaccine clinic to the University of Toronto’s St. George campus.

Over the summer, U of T hosted a vaccine clinic in the Exam Centre that administered 55,964 doses, including pop-ups in community hot spots and nearly 1,600 members of Indigenous communities before wrapping up in September.

Now, F&S has brought to the campus GO-VAXX—a GO bus that has been transformed into a mobile pop-up vaccine clinic that is first-come, first-served. The seats have been removed to create a safe and roomy environment to comfortably issue vaccines to people who haven’t received a first or second dose. GO-VAXX buses have travelled to malls, festivals, community events, and most recently, to the corner of Willcocks and St. George.

“Having the GO-VAXX bus on campus in such a central location gives the U of T community another convenient option to get vaccinated,” said Ron Saporta, chief operating officer, property services and sustainability and chair of the COVID-19 planning and re-entry advisory committee.

The F&S Grounds team supported the committee and University Planning by developing a plan to accommodate the bus in the narrow space of Willcocks Street.

“We rearranged the outdoor furniture and placed planters strategically to prevent cars from parking and clogging the flow of pedestrians,” said Stan Szwagiel, manager, grounds services. “It was a team effort.”

Throughout a three-day stay, the GO-VAXX bus team vaccinated nearly 500 community members—including providing support to international students who required a Health Canada-approved mRNA vaccine dose to be considered fully vaccinated.

The GO-VAXX pop-up clinic is the University’s latest effort to make it easier for students to meet the October 15 final dose deadline and help the transition to safe in-person activities.

The GO-VAXX bus will be on campus again on Tuesday, November 2 and Wednesday, November 10. More details about the University’s approach to vaccinations are available on the UTogether site.