Hamilton’s top doctor is suggesting it may be another “couple to three weeks” before the city’s COVID-19 vaccination rate reaches the province’s standard for easing more health measures amid the ongoing pandemic.
Dr. Elizabeth Richardson says low vaccine coverage among younger age groups and a lag in inoculations among many living in central geographic areas likely means it will be closer to September before 70 per cent of Hamiltonians aged 12-plus become fully vaccinated.
The medical officer of health says ultimately the goal of the entire vaccination program is to hit 90 per cent, but she hopes to fully vaccinate at least 75 per cent across all forward sorting areas (FSA) before moving on to another phase of reopening.
“We really want to make sure that we are hitting that 75 per cent dose coverage across the community in every part of our community,” Richardson said.
“We don’t want any part of our community — any group — to be left behind in this vaccination program.”
The province’s thresholds for departing from the Roadmap to Reopen and the lifting of remaining public health measures is tied to three vaccine targets including 70 per cent of people aged 12-plus in a public health region to be fully vaccinated.
As of Tuesday, more than 748,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered across the city with 68.3 of those 12-plus having completed the necessary two doses.
Just under 59 per cent of residents under 50 have been fully vaccinated.
As of last week, three of five forward sortation areas (FSAs – L8H, L8L, and L8R) located in central Hamilton combined for a two-dose rate of just 47 per cent.
Richardson says there are still more than 22,000 people who have second-dose appointments booked with Hamilton’s large scale clinics beyond the end-of-month closing date of the facilities.
“We are in the process of turning those over to the ministry of health,” said Richardson.
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“Once the ministry has tried to reach out to all of those who still have a second dose booked after August 29th, those appointments will be cancelled.”
The slowing of vaccinations combined with a recent increase in cases over the last month is only one element potentially hindering the further easing of restrictions in Hamilton.
With the city’s seven-day average COVID case rate doubling compared to this same period in July, Hamilton mayor Fred Eisenberger suggested the city could actually go the other way and see more restrictions added, should health experts call for it.
“So, you know what the science says that if we need to pull back here in Hamilton for whatever reason, because the positivity rate is higher or the case counts are moving in the wrong direction, then we’re going to advocate for those steps,” Eisenberger said.
As of Tuesday, the city’s weekly case rate checked in at 25, double the average of 12 recorded on July 10.
Hamilton reported 26 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday contributing to another bump in active cases which moved up to 187. More than 80 per cent of the city’s active cases are among people under the age of 50 while about 45 per cent are under 30.
As of Aug. 10, there are seven reported outbreaks involving 18 total cases across the city. Four of the surges involve shelters, which account for 12 cases.
The latest outbreak, declared on Monday, is at I.H. Mission Services in central Hamilton which reported a single coronavirus case with a resident.
A large outbreak at the Arbour Creek Long Term Care Centre in east Hamilton has been deemed over, after 25 days. There were a total of 20 cases among 14 residents and six staffers.
Combined, Hamilton hospitals are reporting 20 hospitalizations due to the coronavirus as of Tuesday.
Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) has 12 patients being treated with just three in intensive care (ICU), while St. Joe’s has eight patients, six in ICUs.
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