Vaccine clinics for Indigenous people opening soon in Waterloo region

COVID-19 vaccination sites will soon open in Waterloo region for First Nation, Mtis and Inuit residents who want to get the vaccine in a culturally appropriate setting.

Anishnabeg Outreach will open a vaccination clinic at 236 Woodhaven Road in Kitchener on March 19 and 20, according to a news release from the Region of Waterloo.

The Healing of Seven Generations and KW Urban Wigwam Project will co-host a vaccination clinic at 150 Frederick Street in Kitchener March 24 and 25.

Indigenous organizations have been collaborating with the region's vaccine task force to ensure rollout to Indigenous people is done in a culturally appropriate manner, task force member Tammy Webster told CBC earlier this month.

Both of the upcoming clinics will have an elder available to provide support and answer questions.

Six Nations clinic opened last week

Six Nations of the Grand River is now vaccinating community members against COVID-19 after opening its first clinic last Tuesday, according to a separate news release from Six Nations.

The clinic, at the Emily C. General Elementary School, administered 154 doses of the Moderna vaccine on opening day and had administered 295 vaccines as of Monday.

Six Nations received another 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Friday.

"I will continue to stress to Canada and Ontario the need for a full community rollout of vaccines to ensure that every Six Nations member who wants the vaccine can get it now," Six Nations Elected Chief Mark B. Hill said in the news release.

"Our community is in a crisis and the vaccine is needed now."

Ohsweken Public Health (OPH) notified Six Nations Health Services (SNHS) on Monday that a fifth member of the community had died of COVID-19, according to a separate news release issued by the community on Monday.

There were a total of 60 active cases in the community as of Monday.