Local health officials pleased with COVID-19 vaccination rates, but 'we need to keep going'

Vaccination rates in Waterloo region continue to rise, with the latest available data showing 85.25 per cent for first dosesand about 78per cent for second doses.

But with the delta variant still circulating, those who haven't been inoculated still need to, Vickie Murrayof Waterloo region's COVID-19 vaccine task force said.

"Currently we're doing approximately 1,400 doses per day with about 450 of them as first doses," Murray said during a media briefingFriday. "We're doing well and our outreach is successful, but to protect each other from COVID, we need to continue our goal to get more people vaccinated."

During the last week, outreach efforts focused on back to school with vaccinebuses being sent to all three major malls, along with additional locations such as the Sunrise Shopping Centre.

"We continue to work closely with the school boards on vaccination opportunities at the school," Murray said.

"This partnership has provided many opportunities for school-based vaccine clinics in the past and we expect more in the futurethat we hope make vaccines more accessible for students and their families."

Get doses 'as soon as you can'

Waterloo region's medical officer of health, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, is pleased with the uptakeof vaccines.

But she too urged the unvaccinated to come forward.

"We have made great progress in our community in building our vaccine wall of protection," she said.

"We should be proud of our progress as it's preventing a lot more severe illness than would have otherwise occurred and is allowing our economy and society to be as open as it is now. But we need to keep going."

Region of Waterloo Chair Karen Redmanechoed the calls by Murray and Wang.

"We need to continue doing what we can to put this pandemic behind us. We've made great progress in our fight against the virus," Redman said.

"Please, if you're not fully vaccinated, get your first or second dose as soon as you can.

"The evidence is clearunvaccinated people are more likely to catch COVID-19, end up in hospital and require ICU care," Redman added.