Strong demand for 2nd doses of COVID-19 vaccine as Waterloo region accelerates availability

There has been "an incredible demand for second doses" of the COVID-19 vaccine in Waterloo region, says Shirley Hilton, head of the vaccination taskforce.

Hilton, who is a deputy chief with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, says there's no indication people are hesitant to get the vaccine.

As of Monday, some people in Waterloo region will be able to apply for an accelerated second dose of the vaccine after the community was deemed a hot spot for the delta variant, which is the variant first detected in India.

People who received their first dose of thevaccine on or before May 9 will be able to book an accelerated second dose.

This includes people who received the mRNA vaccine, either Pfizer or Moderna, as well as people who were administered the AstraZeneca vaccine. The province announced on Saturday that people who received AstraZeneca can now receive an accelerated second dose.

People anxious

Hilton reminded people to be "patient and kind" when they call to book appointments.

"We're starting to see people's anxiety, particularly now with the delta variant," Hilton said.

For people who already have a second dose booked, but who want to get their shot sooner, there is a form on the region's website that must be filled out.

Hilton says she knows the form can be cumbersome. The region is working to create a new system so people can book their own second shot appointment, but Hilton says the developer is still working out some bugs in the system.

Addressing hesitancy

Dr. Julie Emili, an associate medical officer of health for the region, says there's no doubt there are people in the region who are hesitant to get the vaccine.

The region has tried to combat some of that, including going door-to-door in the hardest hit parts of the community to encourage people to get the vaccine.

"Some of it is about access, 'so what's the easiest way for me to get the vaccine'," Emili said.

"An approach to vaccine hesitancy is really trying to address multiple different issues and trying to meet people where they're at and decrease barriers as much as possible and get out the information that people understand from people they trust."

She said there's currently a focus on reaching people who still need to get their first dose.

"Most people who wanted it were banging the doors down early so we've gone through that group," she said.

"Now we have to figure out how do we reach those ones that, for a number of different reasons, they haven't banged down the door."

She said the region will not get a full sense of who is vaccine hesitant until the current waves of people eager to get the shot has subsided.

"[The vaccine hesitant] group isn't as easy as just open up the appointments, they'll come running," she said. "You have to figure out how to draw them in and address whatever their reason is for vaccine hesitancy."