Vaccination bus is ready to roll as COVID cases fall in Waterloo Region

Pfizer vaccine available at community centres and housing complexes in priority neighbourhoods

WATERLOO REGION — COVID-19 cases continue to fall with 22 new cases reported Monday by the public health unit.

New daily infections are down by two-thirds since peaking a month ago. Yet this region remains a pandemic hot spot, with an infection rate four times the provincial rate.

Vaccinations are also falling to the lowest level since early June. Sunday saw the fewest doses given to residents since May 24 with just over 3,500 shots put into arms.

This matches a provincial decline in vaccination, signalling an uphill climb to reach the last group of adults who are hesitant or tardy.

No new deaths were reported Monday. Active cases fell slightly to 192.

Grand River Hospital in Kitchener declared a COVID outbreak Monday in an intensive care unit reserved for its most seriously ill patients. Three staff have tested positive and are self-isolating but no patients are reported infected.

In a statement, the hospital said it believes the risk is minimal since the last date of potential exposure was seven or more days ago and employees have been isolating at home during this time.

“We are classifying this as an outbreak out of an abundance of caution,” a spokesperson said.

There are 10 other outbreaks and 27 people in local hospitals, including 16 patients in intensive care.

To boost flagging vaccinations, the public health unit is running a bus to bring first or second shots to residents. It will operate Wednesday through Saturday, giving out the Pfizer vaccine at community centres and housing complexes in priority neighbourhoods.

No appointments are necessary. The bus can dose up to six people at a time.

A drive-thru vaccination clinic is operating Tuesday to Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Bingemans Conference Centre in Kitchener. It will administer Pfizer vaccines. Walkins are accepted for first doses; appointments are required for second doses.

There have been 18,199 infections reported since the pandemic began more than a year ago. This includes 17,718 recoveries and 280 deaths.

This region trails Ontario in full immunization at just over 51 per cent of the total population given two doses. It has moved slightly ahead of the province in first doses with almost 70 per cent of the population given at least one dose.

Experts say full immunization at two doses is needed to fend off the highly contagious Delta variant that has made this region a hot spot.