Waterloo Region hits pause on new COVID-19 vaccinations
Posted Jan 27, 2021 08:01:03 PM.
There will be no new COVID-19 vaccinations given in Waterloo Region, at least temporarily.
“All vaccine for Waterloo Region will be to the long-term care homes and the high-risk retirement homes to ensure that second doses are administered,” said Waterloo Regional Police Service Deputy Chief and head of the Region's COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force, Shirley Hilton.
The announcement came just a day after the Region also announced it had finished with first-round vaccinations of all eligible long-term care and retirement home residents.
The temporary change in strategy is being linked to supply concerns after deliveries of the Pfizer vaccine to Canada plummeted as the drug-maker does work on it's Belgium plant and recent threats from the European Union to impose export controls.
Our vaccination task force says because both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require double doses, the clock starts ticking as soon as the first is given and it needs to make sure there's enough on hand to vaccinate long-term care and retirement home residents again in after 21 to 27 days.
“All other groups are being pushed to no later or up to 42 days for their second dose,” said Hilton. “So that includes our healthcare workers in hospitals but also in long-term care homes and retirement homes.”
For the rest of us, the Region says patience is a virtue and this temporary pause will only last until vaccine deliveries return to a regular and reliable schedule.
“Until we understand supply and stability of supply that is the direction we're moving,” Hilton said. “No vaccines will be for first vaccine, it's all dedicated to second dose for long-term care homes and high-risk retirement homes.”
