As of October 3, Grey-Bruce was 33rd out of 34 Health Units in Ontario for full COVID-19 vaccination relative to total population . On October 12th, we were 27th in the province, at 67% of our total population fully vaccinated. (data source here.)
The Grey Bruce Heath Unit has announced that more than 80% of the eligible population in Grey Bruce have been immunized with at least two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 84.5% received one dose .This is somewhat lower than provincial numbers of 82.6% (fully vaccinated) and 87.2% (one dose).
One in three of our local residents is not vaccinated, as opposed to closer to 1 in 4 for the province. This includes all of those under twelve years old, which in Grey-Bruce is less than 15% of our population. To date, no COVID-19 vaccine has been approved in Canada for that age group, although testing shows significant promise.
As of the last census in 2016, our median age in Grey-Bruce was 49, Ontario's was 41.3, Toronto's, 39.3) The same rate of vaccine uptake would have resulted in a higher overall percentage of the popullation being fully vaccinated in an older region like ours. If we find data to explain the gap, we will provide it.
Third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to all eligible and consenting residents of 26 Long-Term Care and high risk retirement homes in Grey and Bruce. The Grey Bruce Health Unit will continue its third dose campaign by immunizing, as per the recent Ministry of Health direction, consenting residents in remaining retirement homes, and consenting residents in high-risk senior congregate settings.
In addition, The Grey Bruce Health Unit’s Vaccine Team has completed initial COVID-19 vaccine clinics and has scheduled a second round of COVID-19 vaccine clinics (at least 28 days apart) in all schools in Grey and Bruce for all eligible and consenting staff and students. Uptake, to date, has been noted in students who may not have had an opportunity to receive the vaccine elsewhere due to transportation issues, parental concerns and access.
For up to date information on vaccine status in Grey and Bruce, please visit the Grey Bruce Health Unit’s vaccine page.
For an up to date Grey Bruce Health Unit schedule of public vaccine clinics, please review the schedule here.
source: media release, Grey Bruce Health Unit and information from Public Health Ontario
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