Tory gets first dose of vaccine

Mayor John Tory received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday morning, getting the AstraZeneca shot at a local Shoppers Drug Mart.

The 66-year-old Tory made friendly conversation with the pharmacist and gave the thumbs up after receiving the vaccine at a Shoppers on Queen Street West.

“I feel good. I hope people will understand that any of the vaccines wouldn’t have been approved by Health Canada if they weren’t safe for people,” Tory said on CP24. “I’m completely confident taking it as it’s been taken by millions of people around the world.”

Tory follows Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott, who both received the AstraZeneca jab in recent days.

Tory has said he had been on multiple waiting lists for the vaccine, but he told the Star he was “very, very conscious” to not jump the queue. While he noted he was eligible to get an appointment for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, he chose to get the AstraZeneca to show people he’s convinced it’s safe.

There has been recent controversy surrounding rare adverse side effects from the AstraZeneca jab, but Health Canada has deemed it safe for those 55 and older.