KITCHENER -- A clinic administering COVID-19 vaccines in Grey Bruce is setting national records.
Earlier this month, officials with the mass vaccination hub in Hanover believe they vaccinated the most people in Canada in single day.
"It was precisely 3,498, two doses short from 3,500," said Dr. Ian Arra, the region's medical officer of health. "To my knowledge that is the largest clinic in the history of Canada, not just this pandemic."
Planning for the "hockey hub" clinic started last year. Dr. Arra had a vision to vaccinate people in 30 seconds or less.
He ran his first dry run on Christmas Eve using his daughter's toys.
"I went out and put her teddy bears and stuffies in a row and I moved on a chair with wheels from one to one pretending to inject and give consent and the system checked out," he said.
Bruce Power supplied 150 stalls for the vaccine clinic and Chapman's Ice Cream donated large freezers.
"It wasn't just planned, it was orchestrated," Dr. Arra said.
Doctors and nurses were assigned to strictly clinical work and volunteers directed people coming to the clinic.
"To the coordination of getting them to the right spot, getting them vaccinated, and then getting them back to their car safely, that's a huge undertaking," said Dr. Robert Basilij, a family physician helping with the vaccine rollout.
The night before the record-setting day on April 7, officials said 1,500 residents were booked for a vaccine. The eligibility window dropped to 60 and over that day and 2,000 people were able to book a same-day appointment.
"I was amazed that that many people came through here," Dr. Basilij said.
"It's just a good example of how a small community can accomplish a great deal," volunteer Bob Gray said.
The clinic has the capacity to vaccinate 4,500 people a day, but supply is still an issue.
The next mass clinic is scheduled for the end of April.
