Grand River Hospital selected as initial Waterloo Region COVID-19 Vaccination Site

Waterloo Region – Grand River Hospital has been selected as one of 17 sites across Ontario to deliver the initial phase of the COVID-19 vaccine immunization program.

As per provincial direction, the COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force has been working closely with the hospital to plan for vaccinations to begin as early as December 23.  

Due to limited vaccine availability in the initial phase of the vaccination program, the Government of Ontario has identified clear priority populations for vaccination, including staff in long-term care homes and hospitals. Due to restraints on the ability to transport the Pfizer Vaccine, initial focus will be on staff as has been done in pilot sites in Ottawa and Toronto.

The task force has worked with clinical and health system experts to identify prioritization criteria for those who will receive initial doses of the vaccine, starting with staff in local long-term care homes.

Homes will be prioritized based on the following:

• Density and physical layout of the home (older homes built with more ward style rooms are at greater risk for spread and lack space for isolation and distancing).
• Size of the home (larger homes are at greater risk of spread due to population size).
• Homes currently in outbreak cannot have staff vaccinated until the outbreak is cleared.

Long-term care homes are being contacted and are working closely with the hospital to schedule initial vaccination clinics.

“Grand River Hospital has demonstrated tremendous leadership in preparing for the safe and secure arrival of the vaccine. I would like to thank the members of the task force who worked quickly to identify prioritization criteria to ensure initial vaccine doses are provided to those most at risk, within the current vaccine mobility constraints,” said WRPS Deputy Chief Shirley Hilton. “The vaccination program will take time. Adherence to public health guidelines is vital to ensure the health of our community while we roll-out the vaccine.”

More information and regular updates on the work of the task force are available on the Region of Waterloo’s COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Task Force Webpage here.

-30-

For media information, please contact:

Connie MacDonald, Chief Strategy & Communications Officer, Region of Waterloo

Email: conmacdonald@regionofwaterloo.ca