Thread by @Tara_Gomes

My mum was vaccinated at Toronto Congress Centre today. We were all excited and relieved; but I have been horrified to hear about her experience. I’m now fearful that today she was put at a higher risk of being exposed to #COVID19 than at any other point in this pandemic. 1/n

Her appointment was for about 3pm. When she arrived, this was the length of line.
I expected there might be long lines outside...at least it was a beautiful day! ☀️2/n

After an hour she got in. My dad waited outside for her, BUT most other people had their companion go inside with them. While I understand that some people need help from a caregiver, my dad said he was one of only a handful who didn’t go in. This made the crowding even worse 3/n

My mum described inside as “the worst airport lineup you’ve ever been in”.
*No distancing
*only 4 of 10 check-in desks open
*huge numbers of people crammed inside with no distancing, waiting. WHY NOT HAVE PEOPLE WAIT OUTSIDE??
4/n

Next - nothing was automated - she had to repeat her address so many times to the person at check-in that she finally asked for a pen and paper and wrote it down.
This is all part of online pre-registration...why isn’t this already in their database??
5/n

She said the vaccine part was quick and painless - “less than a minute”. 👍
6/n

Then the 15 minutes wait time. Almost done, right?
But in order to leave when the 15 minutes was up - another line! This one so long that she was waiting inside for 40 minutes after her shot to be allowed to leave
7/n

Apparently she couldn’t get her receipt confirming she had the vaccine until she waited the 15 minutes and then entered another long lineup (indoors) at an understaffed table to get the receipt.
8/n

Time in: 3:47
Time out: 5:28
So 1hr 45 minutes INSIDE with hundreds of other people (many who weren’t being vaccinated), with little distancing.
She felt so unsafe she almost left.
9/n

This isn’t meant to deter people from getting vaccinated - we need to vaccinate MORE, but NOT like this. This is putting vulnerable people at risk because of understaffing and poor infrastructure.
10/n

At minimum, don’t let people in until there is a check-in table available, provide people with clean masks when they enter (which they didn’t do), and use technology to speed up check-in/out. I understand they were short-staffed today, but how does that happen on this scale?
11/n

Today was day 1 of the expanded capacity (I think?!) - hopefully things improve in the coming days as the kinks are worked out. Fingers crossed my mum (and everyone else who was there) stays healthy in the meantime.
12/12