KITCHENER -- Waterloo Region's COVID-19 vaccine task force has created a plan that will allow it to give as many as 12,000 COVID-19 vaccinations per day.

The plan calls for five types of clinics that will ensure staff will be able to give thousands of vaccines per day once there is enough supply.

"There is still a lot of work to do on logistics, staffing, and operational planning but I am very proud of the effort that has gone into developing a community- involved plan to ensure as many eligible people are vaccinated as quickly as possible," said deputy Chief Shirley Hilton in a news release.

The release states that the plan follows the Ontario government's three-phased approach and has received provincial support.

WHAT WILL THE CLINICS LOOK LIKE?

The region will employ hospital clinics, mobile and on-site clinics, two large, high-volume clinics, at least eight mid-sized clinics, and a number of smaller sites such as those in pharmacies.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, Hilton said that the goal of 12,000 doses per day was vaccine-dependent.

Grand River Hospital's clinic will focus on congregate settings and high-risk hospital and health-care staff. Mobile and on-site clinics will focus on congregate and high-risk settings, urban Indigenous populations and at-risk communities.

The large public health clinics will be staffed by region, hospital, primary care and pharmacy staff, and will prioritize the broader health-care sector, essential workers and the public between the ages of 16 and 60.

The mid-sized clinics and smaller clinics will both focus on chronic home care, adults in descending order of age and the remaining eligible population.

The hospital notes that the clinic types will be fluid depending on what's needed most.

WHEN WILL THE CLINICS OPEN?

Hospital clinic:

  • Opened in December, will run until end of May or the end of the task force's response
  • Initially targeted 400 doses per day; has since reached a max  of 650

Mobile and on-site clinics:

  • Started in January, will run until the end of the task force's response
  • Initially targeted 500 doses per day, will need a week to reach maximum target of 1,100 per day

Large public health clinics:

  • Task force hopes to open site one in February until the end of the response
  • Initial target of 2,500 doses per day and can ramp up to 3,960 per day in four to six weeks

Mid-sized clinics:

  • Task force plans to open in March or earlier; these will continue to vaccinate after the task force's response
  • Initial target of 800 doses per day, will take one to two weeks to reach max target of 3,600 or more

Smaller sites:

  • Task force aims to open these in spring or sooner; these will also continue to operate after the region's response ends
  • Initial target of 800 doses per day, will take two to three weeks to reach maximum target of 2,100 per day