Toronto is now offering in-home second doses of COVID-19 vaccines to homebound residents as vaccinations ramp up across the city.

People 12 years and older who live in Toronto and cannot physically leave their home to receive the vaccine for medical, physical, cognitive or psychosocial reasons are eligible for in-home vaccination.

The person’s essential caregiver is also eligible to receive a shot.

To date, over 7,000 homebound Torontonians have received a first dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.

“While it is still the early days of administering second doses, the team is working toward the citywide goal of second doses to all homebound residents in the next six to eight weeks to protect vulnerable people and the wider community against COVID-19 and the Delta variant,” city staff said in a press release on Thursday.

In March, Team Toronto along with healthcare partners started administering in-home vaccinations, a somewhat complex process as vaccines have a limited lifespan out of freezers.

“Thank you to our paramedics and all our healthcare partners who are going home to home administering vaccine doses to some of our most vulnerable residents,” Mayor John Tory said in a statement. “This complex work takes time and care but they have ensured that first doses have been delivered and are now undertaking the important task of providing the necessary second dose to our homebound residents.”

To date, more than 2.8 million shots have been administered in the city. Over 20 per cent of people 18 years and older in Toronto have received their second shot, making them fully vaccinated against the disease.

More details about in-home vaccinations can be obtained by calling the Toronto Seniors Helpline at 416-217-2077 or online at torontoseniorshelpline.ca/web-chat.