WATERLOO REGION — Santa and therapy dogs are among the special guests making appearances at Waterloo Region’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics to add some fun for children who can now get immunized.
“We really want to support a happy, healthy, friendly environment for the children to put them at ease,” Pinebush clinic manager Lisa Anstey said. “Sometimes getting the vaccine isn’t easy, so we’re trying to give as many options as possible to the children and their families.”
The Cambridge clinic will be hosting a special “Every Dose Counts” event for children on the weekend of Dec. 11/12 with the goal of ramping up its capacity to vaccinate about 3,000 children a day.
The added fun will include music, inflatables to pose with for photos, costumed characters, and a bag of popcorn on the way out. Santa will be popping in from the North Pole on the Sunday morning.
Pinebush will still have sensory safe spaces for children who would do better with a quieter experience.
Starting a week ago, children aged five to 11 were able to get the vaccine locally. By the end of the day Thursday, more than 8,600 children in that age group received their first dose.
Appointments booked and added to the doses already given equals 15,723 — which is about 30 per cent of the region’s children aged five to 11.
“And really we’ve accomplished that in just a week,” said Vickie Murray, operations lead for the region’s vaccine distribution task force.
“COVID-19 vaccination for the five to 11-year-old group has had a really strong start in our community and we want to keep the momentum going.”
The first school-based clinic was held on Thursday.
“It was a great success supporting children and their parents to get the vaccine in a comfortable, local location. Many more school-based clinics are planned over the next month,” Murray said.
This weekend will be the first clinic hosted by KidsAbility, offering children aged five to 17 with special needs a sensory safe experience with additional supports.
Starting Saturday at The Boardwalk in Waterloo, St. John Ambulance will bring therapy dogs to the clinic. The furry visitors will be there to comfort children who may be feeling jitters about getting their jab.
A total of 955,308 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been given to regional residents: 83.11 per cent of residents 12 and older received at least one dose, and 79.34 per cent are fully vaccinated. More than 24,000 third doses have been given.
Along with regional clinics, the vaccine is available at many pharmacies as well as doctor’s offices for their patients.
“With the recent increases of COVID cases and the emergence of the new Omicron variant, the importance of vaccine as a significant strategy to fight the COVID-19 virus continues to grow,” Murray said.
“We will continue to work across our region with our partners to provide vaccination opportunities.”
