Haldimand-Norfolk’s Health unit (HNHU) says the discovery of a mapping mix-up will improve the region’s COVID-19 vaccination rate for those aged 12-plus by as much as four per cent in the coming days.
HNHU epidemiologist Kate Bishop-Williams told Global News in an email that the discrepancy was discovered in a pair of FSAs (Forward Sorting Areas) that were being credited to Brant County’s Health Unit.
As many as 8,000 doses tied to 4,000 residents will impact the region’s rate as the data clean up, initiated in early August, finishes up.
“The process for data cleaning is about 75 per cent completed,” Bishop-Williams said.
“This is likely to be completed today or tomorrow and the data are updated daily. We estimate the total impact of this cleaning will be an increase of 3.7-4.0 per cent vaccination coverage rates for HNHU.”
Officials say individual vaccination records of those living in the FSAs – N0E 1V0 in Vanessa and N0A 1H0 in Hagersville – are not affected with the discovery.
For months Haldimand-Norfolk was reported to have the second-worst two-dose COVID vaccine rate in Ontario with just 73 per cent of residents reported as fully vaccinated on Sept. 3.
Only Chatham-Kent was worse with just 72 per cent having received both required doses.
With some of the data updates completed, Haldimand-Norfolk pulled out of last spot for second doses among those aged 12-plus and is now sitting at 29 out of the 34 health units as of Sept. 8 at 74.4 per cent.
Hamilton is now ranked behind the HNHU at 32 with 74.2 per cent. Chatham-Kent is 34th as of Thursday with a double-dose rate of around 73 per cent.
As of Aug. 22, the HNHU ranked 21st among the 34 health units with COVID tests returning positive from provincial labs at a 2.57 per cent rate. The region also had one of the lower testing rates per 100,000 population checking in at 605.53. The provincial average in that reporting period was 906.57 per 100,000.
Bishop-Williams says the mistake was discovered when the health unit began receiving provincial level reports with higher vaccinations rates than previously relayed to the county.
“When noted, we met with the ministry a few times to confirm the data and process, and worked out a system with them to correct the error,” Bishop-Williams said.
“The data cleaning was initiated after each address was carefully validated to be within the HNHU boundaries.”
Despite the discovery, executives with the HNHU say vaccination rates are still low and are going up slower than anticipated.
“We continue to offer vaccinations in as many places and ways as we can across the communities,” Norfolk EMS Chief Sarah Page said.
“Vaccination coverage rates are going up, albeit slowly. We make every effort to meet residents where they are and offer vaccines in a safe and convenient way that suits their needs.”
Global News has reached out to Ontario’s ministry of health for comment.
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