Region of Waterloo calls on local business community to host vaccine clinics to curb Omicron spread

Waterloo Region – With 350,000 Waterloo Region residents now eligible for their booster dose, the Region of Waterloo is calling on the local business community to step up and help.

“As a Region, we’re ramping up vaccination efforts to get doses administered as quickly as possible,” said Regional Chair, Karen Redman. “But we need help if we are going to get ahead of Omicron – and that’s why we are asking the business community for their assistance.”

The Region is looking to partner with businesses to host on-site vaccination clinics for company staff and their families. Over the summer the model was used by more than two dozen businesses in the Waterloo Region and proved successful. The Region is now looking to replicate the model en masse in the coming weeks to accelerate vaccine administration.

“We worked with the Region to host a clinic for our team members this past summer and we are eager to get another one in place for our team members and their families,” said Trent Hilpert, President, Piller’s. “Helping families and communities thrive is important to the Piller’s team and hosting a clinic is one of the best ways we can do that right now.”

Businesses willing to host a vaccine clinic for their staff only need to meet two requirements:
1. The organization must have their own staff or clinicians who can legally administer a COVID-19 vaccine (e.g., Physician, Nurse, Pharmacist)
2. The organization must be willing to host a clinic between now and the end of January 2022

Businesses meeting these requirement can fill out a short form to get the process started.

“The best way to keep us all safe is to get doses in arms,” said Frank Voss, President, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada. “And Toyota is proud to help our Team Members and their families receive their vaccines more quickly by hosting our own on-site clinics.”

“The numbers are clear and the science is clear: Omicron is spreading fast and it is critical that people get their boosters. This is an all hands on deck situation and we are calling on Chamber members and all members of the community to help. If your business can host a vaccine clinic to support the efforts to increase vaccination capacity, please let the Region know,” Ian McLean, President & CEO, Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce.