Community Coordination Task Force for COVID-19 Vaccination

Meet the Task Force

Regional Chair Bradley announces membership of the task force

Task force members

Statement regarding social media comments

Niagara’s Community Coordination Task Force for COVID-19 Vaccination joins Regional Chair Jim Bradley in his statement condemning recent comments on social media regarding the Province’s decision to move Niagara to the Grey-Lockdown.

This rhetoric is unacceptable and has no place in civil debate. The task force fully supports Niagara’s Acting Medical Officer of Health and thanks him for his continued efforts and advice in protecting the health and safety of Niagara’s residents.

Role of the task force

The Community Coordination Task Force for COVID-19 Vaccination has formed as part of the local pandemic response and recovery efforts to ensure the secure, efficient and equitable delivery of the local COVID-19 immunization strategy.

The task force will perform the following key advisory roles:

  • Champion and provide strategic guidance into the local immunization strategy, drawing on organizational and sector expertise
  • Offer support to the identification and prioritization of local populations within the phased provincial Vaccine Distribution Implementation Plan
  • Provide advice into the communications and engagement plan for health care providers, priority populations and the general public
  • Receive status updates on vaccination progress, achievements and key milestones, and share information with other sector-specific organizations and community partners
  • Liaise and report regularly to Regional Council as the Board of Health

COVID-19 Vaccination

Learn about the COVID-19 vaccination.

See Niagara Region's vaccination statistics, including number of doses administered.

Media Releases

Regional Chair Bradley announces membership of Community Coordination Task Force for COVID-19 Vaccination

Terms of Reference

Review the terms of reference, including overview, roles and responsibilities.

Task force meetings

Feb. 25

The task force reviewed and endorsed Niagara Region Public Health’s proposed principles for decision-making related to the sub-prioritization of priority populations in Niagara. These principles are:

  • Vaccinate those with the greatest risk of severe illness or death first to save lives
  • Vaccinate those with frequent, extended and close contact with those at the greatest risk of severe illness or death to stop transmission to those most at risk of death
  • Vaccinate those where local evidence shows a greater risk of infection to stop transmission into the community, including to those at risk of death

The task force also recommended several changes to Public Health's list of highest priority populations for vaccination in Niagara. Members agreed to include migrant agricultural workers, police and pharmacies in the highest priority category.

Niagara Health provided an update on the expansion of vaccinations for more health care workers at its Seymour-Hannah Sports and Entertainment Centre clinic. Lessons learned around the complexity of staffing and logistics will inform Public Health's future community-based immunization clinics.

Previous meetings

  • Feb. 11

    At its second meeting, the task force received updates on vaccination activities completed by Niagara Health and Niagara Region Public Health to date.

    The group also reviewed and provided input into Public Health's operational plan for mass immunization, and discussed ways to ensure Niagara's vulnerable populations are properly prioritized in the vaccination plan.

  • Jan. 28

    At its first meeting, chaired by Dr. Dec, members of the task force:

    • Introduced themselves and their organizations to the group
    • Received an update on vaccination planning and rollout so far from Niagara Region's Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Mustafa Hirji
    • Adopted a terms of reference that will guide their work going forward
    • Resolved to meet every two weeks with the next meeting scheduled for Feb. 11

Task force members

  • Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley
  • Dr. David Dec
  • Dr. Karl Stobbe, Medical Director, REACH Niagara
  • Adrienne Jugley, Commissioner, Community Services, Niagara Region
  • Nancy Garner, Executive Director, Quest Community Health Centre
  • Brian Davies, Chief Executive Officer, Bethesda
  • Lucie Huot, Executive Director, CERF Niagara
  • Martina Rosza, Vice President, Home and Community Care, Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant Local Health Integration Network
  • Lynn Guerriero, President and Interim CEO, Niagara Health
  • Kathleen LaForme, Diabetes Wellness Coordinator, Indigenous Diabetes Health Circle
  • Jennifer Dockstader, Executive Director, Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre
  • Jim Boutilier, Fire Chief, City of Niagara Falls
  • Martha Mason, Executive Director, Fort Erie Multicultural Centre
  • Sean Simpson, President, Pharmacists Association of Niagara
  • Chief Bryan MacCulloch, Niagara Regional Police Service
  • Frank Ruberto, Executive Director, Niagara Medical Group Family Health Team
  • Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Acting Medical Officer of Health, Niagara Region
  • Regional Councillor Barbara Greenwood, Co-Chair, Public Health and Social Services Committee
  • Chief Kevin Smith, Niagara Emergency Medical Services
  • Tom Kuchyt, CAO, Town of Fort Erie
  • Mike Kirkopoulos, CAO, Town of Lincoln
  • Shelley Chemnitz, CAO, St. Catharines
  • Ron Tripp, Acting CAO, Niagara Region
  • Natalie Early, Director, Corporate Strategy and Innovation
Page Feedback Did you find what you were looking for today?