Waterloo region schools open their doors early to get COVID-19 vaccinations in students' arms

Students who need to get their COVID-19 vaccinations before school gets underway this fall can get their first or second dose at several pop-in clinics next month.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health, urged people to take advantage of the clinics if they still needed to be fully vaccinated against the virus.

"We urge anyone who is attending school this fall and their family members to take advantage of the opportunity to get their first or second dose," Wang said in a release. "It takes two weeks after the second dose to receive the benefits and protection from the virus."

From Aug.4 to 14, clinics will be held at schools in the region for people between the ages of 12 and 17. There are no appointments necessary.

The week of Aug. 4 to 7, the clinics will run from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, then 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

The clinics will be held Aug. 4 to 7 at:

• Resurrection Catholic Secondary School, 455 University Ave. W., Kitchener.
• Monsignor Doyle Catholic Secondary School, 185 Myers Rd., Cambridge.

The week of Aug. 11 to 14, the clinics will be held 3 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The clinics will be held Aug. 11 to 14 at:

• Grand River Collegiate Institute, 175 Indian Rd., Kitchener (all clinic times)
• Southwood Secondary School, 30 Southwood Dr., Cambridge (no Thursday clinic)
• Huron Heights Secondary School, 1825 Strasburg Rd., Kitchener (only Wednesday and Thursday).

Young people must be 12 years of age at the time of their appointment in order to get the vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech will be the vaccine used at these clinics.

A statement on the Waterloo Region District School Board's website said the clinics "offer youth the opportunity to be fully immunized for their return to school in September."

20 new COVID-19 cases

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 20 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, a rise from single digits earlier in the week. There were no new deaths.

There were 119 active cases.

There were 13 people with COVID-19 in the region's three hospitals. There were also 12 people in the intensive care unit. That number includes people who are infectious with the virus and also resolved cases where people still need specialized care.

There were six active outbreaks:

• Workplaces: Three.
• Hospital: One.
• Child care/Summer camp: One.
• Congregate setting: One.

The region also reported 82.7 per cent of people aged 12 and up in the region have one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 68.3 per cent have both doses.