Four Toronto-based employees of software company Alida have launched Vaccine Finder Toronto, an online community tool to help Torontonians navigate evolving vaccine protocols and get vaccinated faster against COVID-19.
The tool was developed by Daniel Charles, vice-president of technology, Ian McIlwain, web strategy manager, Madeleine Bailey, user experience designer, and Mostafa Drz, engineering manager for Alida.
It includes an eligibility quiz and uses that criteria to filter a personalized list of locations for the eligible individual.
Eligible residents are then asked to enter their residential postal code, birth year and select their eligibility criteria (occupational, community factors, health conditions) to get a list of centres or clinics (listed based on nearest proximity) where they can get vaccinated.
The company says they developed Vaccine Finder to help Toronto residents understand if they are eligible for a vaccine as the current booking platforms are highly fragmented and individualized.
This tool is separate from the Ontario government booking tool, and other independent vaccine booking portals such as Vaccine Hunters. It can be accessed through desktop or mobile by visiting www.torontovaccinefinder.ca.
According to Health Canada, more than 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Canada as of April 19, 2021. The Ontario government also announced that starting April 20, the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available to people ages 40 and over at more than 1,400 pharmacies across the province.