KITCHENER -- The Region of Waterloo’s Medical Officer of Health is raising concerns over vaccine supply as COVID-19 case counts rise locally.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang gave an overview of the area’s current case rate at a Friday evening virtual Board of Health meeting.

She reports 100 cases per 100,000 per week for Waterloo Region, compared to the province’s rate of 188 per 100,000 per week.

When it comes to local vaccine supply, Dr. Wang says delays in shipments could mean that clinics will face partial closures.

“It’s planned that we will have to close clinics in the future due to insufficient supply,” she said.

However, regional chair Karen Redman made sure to clarify what this means for those looking to get vaccines in the area.

“When we talk about clinics being closed, what we mean is there will be fewer days, but they will continue to operate,” she said. “This is done in an effort to make sure that any vaccine that we have goes out of the freezer and into arms.”

Dr. Wang adds that, according to the province, more vaccine doses will be sent to areas that have the highest number of COVID-19 hot spots.

Waterloo Region only has one provincially-designated hot spot in Kitchener neighbourhoods.