‘Every Dose Counts’: Waterloo Region Officials ‘Beg’ People to Get COVID-19 Vaccines

KITCHENER – Officials in the Waterloo region continue to encourage people to receive a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of the Delta variant.

“We are not asking, we are imploring people to get vaccinated,” Bruce Lauckner, the region’s chief executive, said during the weekly COVID-19 briefing on Friday.

Vaccines are available at mass clinics across the region, as well as pharmacies, primary care offices, drive-thru clinics, and mobile buses bringing doses directly to communities.

“Every dose counts,” Lauckner said. “The more we get vaccinated, the safer we are and the closer we get to a full reopening.”

As of Thursday, nearly 83% of the eligible population aged 12 and over had received at least one dose of the vaccine and more than 69% had received both doses of the vaccine.

“I urge all residents who have not yet done so to receive the first or second dose as soon as possible,” Medical Officer of Health Dr Hsiu-Li Wang said in Friday’s update. . “Every day that someone delays immunization is a day lost in the fight against Wave Four.”

The region has launched a mobile vaccination bus to reach communities with low vaccination rates and plans to add another to the list this weekend. Driving vaccinations are also offered at Bingemans.

Vickie Murray, from the region’s immunization task force, said about 20% of people using the mobile bus and drive-through clinic were there for a first dose.

Starting Saturday, the vaccine bus will pass through various locations including St. Jacob’s Market, Fairview Park Mall, Conestoga Mall, downtown Elmira, and other community locations.

Vaccination clinics are also planned for some schools in the coming weeks. The “Hockey Hub” model used at Bingemans earlier this month will be available at Monsignor Doyle and Resurrection schools for these upcoming clinics.

AIM TO REACH 90 PERCENT OF VACCINES

Dr Wang said the region is now aiming to achieve a 90 percent vaccination rate among the eligible population.

“Delta is the most transmissible and aggressive variant we’ve seen, so it’s no surprise that the vaccine coverage rate in the population needs to be higher than before,” she said. “These thresholds that were set previously were set based on the Alpha variant, which was our most transmissible before Delta. Now that Delta is here, we need to aim higher.”

Dr Wang added that high vaccination rates will help protect people who cannot be vaccinated at the moment.

“Until we reach a state where there is herd immunity, so to speak, or at least there is sufficiently high vaccine coverage in the population, we will need some measure of public health precautions. to help prevent significant increases in case rates that could lead to significant hospitalizations and impacts to the community.

RATES ARE IMPROVING BUT MAY INCREASE AGAIN

Dr Wang said local case rates fell until July, but they are likely to rise again.

The current incidence rate is 17 cases per 100,000 people per week, up from around 60 cases per 100,000 people at the start of the month.

Although case rates fell until July, Dr Wang said they had started to rise again in recent days. The increases will likely occur in the teens and 20s over the next few moments.

DAY CAMP EPIDEMIC

A number of high-risk cases and contacts have been identified after an outbreak in multiple cohorts at Adventure 4 Change Day Camp. The region’s COVID-19 dashboard shows the outbreak was declared on July 28. There are seven confirmed cases associated with this outbreak as of Thursday.

Dr Wang said the day camp had voluntarily closed and public health was contacting all high-risk contacts.

She added that community interactions outside the camp may have played a role in the outbreak.

Anyone showing symptoms or in contact with someone at the camp should take a COVID-19 test, Dr Wang said.

UPDATE THE APPLICATION

Three enforcement actions were reported in Friday’s update.

The Waterloo Region bylaw issued a $ 1,130 bill to Living Waters Book and Toy under the Ontario Reopening Act. Pasha Shisha was also fined under the Waterloo bylaw under that law, for $ 880.

A fine of $ 240 was imposed by Grand River Transit security at Mill Station for failing to comply with the face covering rule.