2nd COVID-19 vaccination bus to visit malls, St. Jacobs Farmers' Market

Waterloo region is launching a second COVID-19 vaccination bus in an effort to reach more people who are unable to get to a clinic or pharmacy for their shot.

The new bus will go to spots like Fairview Park Mall, Conestoga Mall and spots in smaller towns like downtown Elmira and the St. Jacobs Farmers' Market.

Vickie Murray is the director of pharmacy at Grand River Hospital and St. Mary's General Hospital in Kitchener. She's also the lead of operations for the vaccine distribution task force. 

She says on average last week, the region vaccinated 4,700 people per day, a drop from the early days of the vaccine roll out.

"While the rate of vaccination has slowed down from our highest volume early in July, we have still been very effective at moving the bar," she said.

As of Friday, 82.85 per cent of people aged 12 and older had at least one dose, while 69.05 per cent had both doses.

"We need to vaccinate 33,986 people to reach the provincial target of 75 per cent of 12-plus population [to be] fully vaccinated," Murray said during a media briefing on Friday.

The region launched a vaccination bus earlier this month to go to high-priority neighbourhoods where COVID-19 cases were high and vaccine uptake was low. Murray says in the past two weeks, approximately 20 per cent of the people going to get their shot at the bus have been people getting their first dose.

Murray says all vaccine clinics accept walk-ins for first and second doses, although people can make an appointment if they'd like to. As well, anyone who has an appointment in September or October is encouraged to move up it to a sooner date.

"Make vaccination part of your long weekend plans," Murray said.

Murray also noted next week, two high schools in Kitchener and Cambridge will open to host the hockey hub-style vaccine clinics the region previously used at Bingemans. The goal is to get more young people to get their vaccine before school starts in September.

As of Friday, 70.65 per cent of youth between the ages of 12 and 17 had received their first dose and 47.43 per cent had both doses.

Aim for higher vaccination rates

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said on Friday that the goal now should be to get 90 per cent of people in Waterloo region vaccinated to protect those who cannot get the vaccine, including children aged 11 and under.

"Every day that someone delays their vaccination is a day lost against a fourth wave," Wang said Friday during a weekly COVID-19 media briefing. "We need to aim for the highest first and second dose coverage rates possible."

The region's chief administrative officer Bruce Lauckner noted parents and students should be vaccinated as there's also an emerging trend where people will need to be vaccinated to take part in other activities.

"It's so important to take advantage of the next several weeks before school starts," he said, noting it takes two weeks for the vaccine to take full effect.

"We're seeing more and more decisions being made by organizations about the requirement for vaccination and there's lots of opportunity to get vaccinated," he said.