Toronto calls in the superheroes to help with vaccinating young children against COVID-19.
The Toronto Star Editorial Board has selected a photo as our “Toronto Life of the Week” in honour of the city’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It features an image of Toronto public works director Rob Merrifield wearing a mask, working to get children vaccinated in a neighbourhood that’s under a 14-day state of emergency.
“The photo was taken last weekend at the corner of Bathurst and John St. and features Merrifield wearing the full-face protective gear with the exception of his eyes and mouth. The photo is an example of a group of individuals working together to address a common problem,” the editors of the Star wrote of the photograph.
The Star also reported on the response of the public works department in terms that revealed the real-life impact of the city’s ongoing response.
“The city has made it safer for children to walk to school over the past two weeks. In March, the department was still getting kids walking home from school and many parents didn’t see their kids. ‘We’ve seen more and more kids walking,’ Merrifield said. Now, parents can take their children to the school they need. The city has also spent money on parks and playgrounds.”
Here are the five things you need to know about the photo:
1. The ‘Vaccinating The Children’ photo was taken last Friday, on the south side of Bathurst. It was posted to the city’s website on Sunday.
2. The Photo Reference Library, an open source photo database, shows that “voting public” was Merrifield’s shirt colour. The Toronto Public Library has an online map that shows where public works employees have voted for their favourite