Region of Waterloo will delay moving to Step 2 of the Provincial Reopening framework

Waterloo Region – Based on current data and the prevalence of the Delta variant locally, the Region of Waterloo will delay moving to Step 2 of the Provincial Reopening framework for now.

“To give our residents more time to be vaccinated, to avoid having to take a step back, and based on our situation at this time, I anticipate the Region of Waterloo will be able to move into Step 2 in mid-July,” said Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, Medical Officer of Health. “This approach gives us the best chance to hold onto the gains we have made.”

Dr. Wang added that in the coming weeks, the Region of Waterloo will be in a better position to provide a more specific date for an expected move to Step 2.

“I fully understand that pausing our move to Step 2 will greatly impact many in our community,” said Regional Chair Karen Redman. “We are in one of the most critical phases of the pandemic locally and this decision is made with the health and safety of all of our community at heart.”

Over 75% of residents 18 and over have at least one dose of the vaccine, and over 21% have a second dose. By mid-July, many more in the Region of Waterloo will have received first and second doses.

“Without the power of the vaccine and without thousands and thousands of our residents getting vaccinated at our clinics, in pharmacies and at family doctors’ offices – our COVID-19 numbers would have grown exponentially over the last few weeks due to the Delta variant,” continued Dr. Wang.

“Maximizing the number of our residents who get a first and then second dose is our way out, and I urge all residents to get their first and second doses as soon as they are available to them.  In addition to the Regional clinics, we have over 123 pharmacies in our region giving out vaccine and many family medicine practices doing the same.”

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