Kitchener-Waterloo

Region of Waterloo asking businesses to help with COVID-19 vaccine rollout

The Region of Waterloo is asking any businesses that have staff or clinicians who can legally administer a COVID-19 vaccine — doctors, nurses or a pharmacist — to consider hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic to help meet demand for third doses.

Pillers, Toyota among companies planning clinics to help with 3rd doses

The Region of Waterloo is asking any business that has a staff member or clinician who can administer the COVID-19 vaccine - a doctor, nurse or pharmacist - to consider holding a vaccination clinic for staff and their families in the next month. (Paul Chiasson/The Canadian Press)

If a business has a staff member or clinician who can legally administer a COVID-19 vaccine, the Region of Waterloo is asking them to consider hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic to help meet demand for third doses.

People who can legally give the vaccine are doctors, nurses or pharmacists.

The region said in the summer, about 24 companies hosted these on-site vaccination clinics for staff members and their families.

Deli meat company Pillers was one of them. Company president Trent Hilpert said they were "eager" to do another one. Toyota also has plans to hold a clinic, the region said.

Businesses that are willing to host a vaccine clinic for their staff need to meet two requirements:

  1. The business must have their own staff or clinicians who can legally administer a COVID-19 vaccine.
  2. The business must host a clinic between now and the end of January 2022.

Businesses meeting these requirement are asked to fill out a form on the region's website.

The request comes as the region has seen rising COVID-19 case numbers, including nearly 400 new cases reported on the weekend.

Ian McLean, president and CEO of the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, called the current COVID-19 climate an "all hands on deck" situation.

"It is critical that people get their boosters," McLean said in the release. "If your business can host a vaccine clinic to support the efforts to increase vaccination capacity, please let the region know."