KITCHENER -- Waterloo Region's top doctor says COVID-19 trends are starting to improve in the area.

Speaking at the region's COVID-19 briefing on Friday morning, Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said case counts and other indicators have started to decrease after a few weeks of stagnation.

"Things are moving in the right direction but COVID continues to circulate in the community," Dr. Wang said.

The region's weekly incidence rate sits at 55 cases per 100,000 people per week.

Earlier this week, the region's COVID-19 dashboard listed the first cases of the B.1.617 variant first identified in India. Dr. Wang said they anticipate more cases will screen for that variant, and other variants of concern, in the coming days and weeks.

"The fewer cases we have overall, the better we'll be able to control new variants as they emerge," she said.

Dr. Wang also encouraged people to continue following all public health measures.

"Our trends are improving but we are not done yet," she said.

She encouraged people to "stay the course" as case counts drop.

"We need to proceed with lifting restrictions and opening settings in a very incremental way, because that is actually the fastest way to get us to reopen," she said.

VACCINE UPDATE

On Friday morning, the province announced a shortened interval for second doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Dept. Chief Shirley Hilton, the head of Waterloo Region’s vaccine task force, said Friday morning that the region will look at accelerating the second dose, and hopes to have more information for residents in the coming days. She said any changes will be based on vaccine supply.

"What we can do for everyone is to communicate and try to eliminate some of that anxiety," Hilton said.

Dr. Wang said local officials will take information from the province and make a plan that will work for the local population.

"I would just ask that people continue to show us patience and the kindness that they have," Dr. Wang said.

As more pharmacies start to administer COVID-19 vaccines, Dr. Wang did say that people will have the option to book a second dose at a different location from where they received their first one. She emphasized the importance of cancelling other appointments to make sure all spots are filled.

For Waterloo Region residents who received AstraZeneca as their first dose, their second dose eligibility is mid-July.

"They can receive a second dose of AstraZeneca at the 12 week interval or wait to determine which vaccine they choose to receive at a later date when more information is available," Hilton said.

The region has started booking appointments for first doses for youth between 12 and 17, with a goal to have students fully vaccinated before they head back to school in September.

Last Friday, the region set a single-day record after administering more than 7,400 doses of the vaccine.

So far, there have been more than 300,000 total doses administered in Waterloo Region. Fifty-eight per cent of people 18 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and the 60-plus age group has exceeded the 75 per cent target.

MONITORING WASTEWATER

The region has also released information on wastewater surveillance, which is part of a partnership with researchers at the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Wang said researchers look for COVID-19 fragments in wastewater, and can help monitor trends if people aren't necessarily seeking testing.

Research from the wastewater testing shows findings are well-aligned with signs from testing, according to Dr. Wang.

"That's a good sign that what we've been relying on to-date, which is our testing, has been reflective of what's going on in our community," she said.