Region of Waterloo asking businesses to help with COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Ifa businesshas a staff member or clinicianwho can legally administer a COVID-19 vaccine,the Region of Waterloo is asking themto consider hosting a COVID-19 vaccine clinic to help meet demand for third doses.

People who can legally give the vaccine are doctors, nurses or pharmacists.

The region said in the summer, about 24companies hosted these on-site vaccination clinics for staff members and their families.

Deli meat company Pillers was one of them. Company president Trent Hilpert said they were "eager" to do another one. Toyota also has plans to hold a clinic, the region said.

Businesses that are willing to host a vaccine clinic for their staff need to meet two requirements:

1. The business must have their own staff or clinicians who can legally administer a COVID-19 vaccine.
2. The businessmust host a clinic between now and the end of January 2022.

Businesses meeting these requirement are asked to fill out a form on the region's website.

The request comes as the region has seen rising COVID-19 case numbers, including nearly 400 new cases reported on the weekend.

Ian McLean, president andCEO of theGreater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, called the current COVID-19 climate an "all hands on deck" situation.

"It is critical that people get their boosters," McLean said in the release."If your business can host a vaccine clinic to support the efforts to increase vaccination capacity, please let the region know."