More drive-thru vaccination clinics planned

Vaccine doses will be offered over three evenings next week at Bingemans in Kitchener

WATERLOO REGION — Four out of five Waterloo Region residents eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine received at least one dose, placing this region among the highest first-dose coverage rates for all of Ontario. “That’s just fantastic,” chief administrative officer Bruce Lauckner said during Friday’s briefing. “We’ve also caught up at light speed to the rest of the province for second doses.”

Just over 80 per cent of local residents 12 and older received at least one dose, and 56 per cent are fully vaccinated.

“We knew once we received vaccine from the province and had enough supply that the community would respond and I can’t thank residents enough for stepping up and getting vaccinated,” Lauckner said.

Vaccine supply is steady and clinics are running at full capacity, he said.

The region is focused on making it easier for residents to get vaccinated, especially now that everyone who was eager to be protected has their first or even second dose. The challenge now is to reach people who are hesitant or can’t easily make it to one of the larger regional centres.

“There’s going to be this shift from mass clinics down to the ground game of mobile clinics and pop-ups,” said medical officer of health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang.

Drive-thru COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered at Bingemans in Kitchener over three evenings next week. The clinics will run Tuesday to Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m.

Appointments are needed for second doses, but walk-ins are welcome for first doses up until 8:30 p.m.

A total of 690,636 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given to regional residents.

Trials are ongoing on vaccinating children under 12. Results are expected by the end of September, and hopefully by October or November there will be approval to start giving vaccines to that age group.

“We’re already planning to be ready to do that as soon as we can,” Wang said.

COVID-19 infections are being seen more in groups that are less immunized, including younger children.

Reducing community spread can indirectly help shield them from illness.

“The best way to protect our children now is to make sure that our adult population and those over 12 who can be vaccinated are fully vaccinated as soon as they can be,” Wang said.