KITCHENER -- Region of Waterloo officials announced Monday that they had completed the first round of vaccination for all eligible residents of long-term care and retirement homes.

Officials noted that the announcement does not necessarily cover all retirement homes in the region—only those that are recognized by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority database were included.

According to a news release, the region's vaccine task force will continue to focus the limited vaccine supply on second doses.

They will also prioritize patients waiting for transfer to hospital or retirement homes. That will allow the recipients to get their second doses alongside other residents.

The Ontario government released new guidance on timelines for second doses. Long-term care and retirement home residents must now receive their second dose within 27 days, while other vaccinated groups must get them by 42 days at the latest.

The news release said that the task force was confident it would be able to meet the province's new directives.

"With information changing daily we are pivoting as quickly as we can and making the best decisions possible with the information we have at the time," said Dept Chief Shirley Hilton, who leads the region's vaccine distribution task force.

"We are grateful to our partners at the provincial and federal governments who are working to secure vaccines for our communities."

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization also updated its recommendations to suggest that in some circumstances, the dose interval could be increased up to 42 days. That's supported by the World Health Organization's recommendation, as well as that of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

As of Jan. 24 at 5 p.m., public health officials had administered 14,151 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, but Canada is not expected to receive any additional doses—from either Pfizer or Moderna—this week.

More than 300,000 additional doses are expected to arrive next week, however.