Downward COVID-19 trend continues in Oxford, Elgin
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Southwestern Public Health met a significant milestone in the fight against COVID-19 on May 28.
One hundred thousand residents within the public health unit’s Oxford and Elgin counties region now have their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That’s early 48 per cent of the region’s total population.
As of Friday, 77 per cent of the 80-plus age group, 87 per cent of the 70-plus age group, and 81 per cent of the 60-plus age group have had at least one dose.
“I am extremely grateful for the collaboration I see across this region,” said Jaime Fletcher, program manager overseeing the COVID-19 Immunization Task Force.
“Public Health shares a vision with local municipalities, primary care providers, community health centres, pharmacies, emergency medical services and others of a community that is safer and healthier due to the gift of vaccination.”
“I want to express my appreciation for all of you who have kept fighting the good fight,” said Dr. Joyce Lock, Medical Officer of Health at Southwestern Public Health. “You are making a difference.”
But much work still needs to be done, she added.
“We have an enormous amount of work ahead of us.”
More than 82 per cent of Southwestern Public Health’s active cases last week involved a COVID-19 variant.
Four new COVID-19 cases were reported in the region on Friday with 62 ongoing cases in total, including 10 in Tillsonburg going into the weekend. On Monday, tallying results from Friday and Sunday, 26 new Oxforrd-Elgin cases were reported, 13 from Tillsonburg, with 52 ongoing in the region showing an overall downward trend.
Four cases were hospitalized in the region, as of Monday, with one in the intensive care unit.
VACCINE
Provincially, just over 50 per cent of adults in Ontario had at least one dose the vaccine as of last week.
“Please keep following public health measures,” said Dr. Lock. “Enjoy the recent opportunities to socialize in small groups, and… participate in your favourite outdoor recreation. But do keep your distance, and keep your visits outdoors. Wear a face covering if you can’t maintain six feet of distance between yourself and others.”
Together, up to 2,000 doses of vaccine per day are being dispensed at three Mass Immunization Clinics (Pfizer-BioNTech at St. Thomas and Woodstock, and Moderna in Tillsonburg).
There are also more than 30 pharmacies and several primary care clinics and community health centres in the region planning to offer Moderna or Pfizer vaccines to their patients.
“These partners add additional capacity to our region of another 2,000 doses per week.”
cabbott@postmedia.com
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