KITCHENER -- Local COVID-19 vaccine clinics will be able to distribute 300 to 400 doses a day this week, Region of Waterloo officials said Tuesday.

To date, the region has hosted three clinics and administered a total of 230 vaccines.

Clinics will now be operating seven days a week.

Deputy Chief Shirley Hilton of the Waterloo Region Vaccination Distribution Task Force said they no longer need to hold back vaccine doses so that people can get a second shot, since the province expects more to arrive in January. Initially, she said they were told to save doses so people could get their second dose within 21 days.

"We anticipate another vaccine shipment next week and we'll continue to prioritize long-term care staff and high-risk retirement home staff," Hilton said.

The region will continue to hold clinics until all doses of the vaccine are used. Any vaccine left from clinics due to no-shows or missed appointments will be administered to hospital staff.

"I also want to remind the public that, although the vaccine is an important step towards recovery, safe distribution to the general public will take time," Hilton said.

She added people should continue to follow public health guidelines.

VACCINE CLINICS REOPEN AFTER HOLIDAY CLOSURES

Vaccine clinics across Ontario were closed for several days over the holidays.

In Waterloo Region, the clinics were closed from Dec. 25 to 28, officials said.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang said officials were following provincial direction and making sure there were sufficient staffing levels at long-term care homes and hospitals over the past week.

Starting Tuesday, clinics across Ontario will be open seven days a week.

"We now have received direction to just continue holding the clinics, and we will be ramping up clinics in the region," Dr. Wang said.

Doses of the Moderna vaccine have also arrived in Canada, but regional officials said they haven't received any indication on when those will be available locally.

The first doses of the Pfizer vaccine arrived in Waterloo Region on Dec. 21, two days ahead of schedule.

"We're all learning as we go," Hilton said. "We're operating very quickly to mobilize this, so I expect that we will continue to not only advance what we're doing, but to get better at what we're doing."

LOCAL CASES HIGH BUT STABLE

Dr. Wang said COVID-19 trends in Waterloo Region remain high, but are stable.

The region has an incidence rate of 92 cases per 100,000 people per week and a reproductive rate of 1.1, meaning every person with a confirmed case of the disease is spreading to slightly more than one other person.

There continue to be outbreaks at long-term care and retirement homes and businesses. Dr. Wang said there are eight active workplace outbreaks, but officials are monitoring a total of 135 workplaces with confirmed cases of the disease.

"[This] is reflective of COVID being widespread and are therefore being commonly detected among people who work," Dr. Wang said.

The province entered a shutdown on Dec. 26. It will last for at least four weeks in southern Ontario.

"We know this was needed to protect our health care system and help flatten the curve," Dr. Wang said.

She added this closure might help manage cases in workplaces, since non-essential businesses will remain closed until the end of January.

She encouraged people to continue following public health recommendations.