A pop-up vaccine clinic that opened in Scarborough Thursday morning saw so many people show up to try and get their first dose that the lineup actually looped around a football field four times before 8 a.m.

Residents began waiting in line as early as midnight for the M1P pop-up, which is being held at the David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute on Thursday and Friday.

People have been waiting since midnight at Scarborough's M1P vaccine pop-up. (We got here 5:30 am) Line loops 4x around football field and still growing.

Everyone's chill and orderly but I know we're not seeing such lineups in Forest Hill, Bridle Path, etc #vaccineinequity pic.twitter.com/28twFLSWX2

— Diana Duong 😷 (@dianaduo) April 29, 2021

The clinic began distributing 1,500 tickets at 7 a.m. for people to return for same-day appointments and, according to the Scarborough Civic Action Network, all available tickets had been given out by 9:45 a.m.

M1P clinic full as of 9:45 am. We need more doses @celliottability, more clinics for hotspot areas like Scarborough, a better system to avoid long line ups and better supports for essential workers. #equitymatters @VijayThaniMPP @Christina_Mitas @Aris_Babikian @RaymondChoPC pic.twitter.com/NepJTVAjNg

— Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN) (@ScarboroughCAN) April 29, 2021

Unfortunately, this is far from an isolated incident.

Single mom at M1P clinic lined up at 5:30am after prayers. About > 400 in line in front of her. By 7:30am when they started giving out tickets, over 1000! The football field is looped 4x. Glad her employer is flexible and will allow her to come back for vaccine between work. pic.twitter.com/Ty95Pi5sfj

— Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN) (@ScarboroughCAN) April 29, 2021

The vaccination rollout in Scarborough has been something of a disaster since the beginning, as the area has a high concentration of COVID-19 cases and essential workers, yet not enough vaccines to quickly and effectively innoculate all those who want one.

It's 4:39 am on a weekday and I'm at the M1P vaccine pop-up 😭😭 there are people here pitched in camping tents and about 3-400 people ahead of me @VaxHuntersCan @SHNcares @ScarboroughCAN pic.twitter.com/ISlyjSr7Mu

— ✨ (@iiitsssmeeee) April 29, 2021

Pop-up clinics for the M1G, M1J and M1L postal codes in Scarborough have seen similar lineups in the past two weeks, and demand for doses continues to outstrip supply.

Scarborough pop-up clinics for M1G, M1J, M1L & M1P this week full. We need more supply for hotspot areas like Scarborough to put out the fires! @COVIDSciOntario has recommended allocating 50% to hotspots, not the 25% currently allocated by @fordnation pic.twitter.com/W8u8ljbAq9

— Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN) (@ScarboroughCAN) April 29, 2021

It's for this reason that Ontario's COVID-19 advisory table has recommended allocating 50 per cent of available vaccines to hot spots around the city, but the provincial government is currently only allocating 25 per cent.

Residents and experts have also criticized the first-come-first-served model of the pop-ups, saying it disadvantages marginalized communities by requiring residents to wait for hours while more affluent neighbourhoods can easily book appointments online.

Long line up at south Scarborough M1L pop-up clinic at 70 Praire near Byng Park. Almost 200 ppl waiting before 4:30 am & 800 (out of 1000) doses already spoken for. Need more clinics and more doses to meet need! #equitymatters pic.twitter.com/IZZpSQMMTy

— Scarborough Civic Action Network (SCAN) (@ScarboroughCAN) April 28, 2021

Toronto officials previously called on the province to allow hot spot residents aged 18 and up to register for vaccine appointments through the provincial booking system just like everyone else. 

But as that request has so far gone ignored, the only way for these communities to receive the jab remains lining up for as long as it takes.