As Hamilton struggles to boost its COVID-19 vaccination rate, city councillors are appealing to residents to take advantage of one of many, scheduled walk-in clinics.
Flamborough Coun. Judi Partridge says rates in parts of her ward are among the lowest in the entire city, and she “really doesn’t understand why.”
“Everyone, please, I encourage you to get your vaccination,” says Partridge. She adds that the fourth wave of the pandemic “is crushing our hospitals and our care workers.”
Hamilton, as a whole, has fully vaccinated 74 per cent of eligible residents.
At 74 per cent, provincial data indicates that the city is tied with four other health units for the lowest two-dose vaccination rate in Ontario.
Specific to Partridge’s Ward 15, the L8B area code which includes Waterdown, has a two-dose vaccination rate of 65 per cent.
Echoing Partridge’s appeal, during a meeting of Hamilton City Council on Wednesday, was Ward 3 Coun. Nrinder Nann.
“There are multiple vaccine clinic opportunities,” says Nann, “so that we can all remain safe, and most importantly, for those of our neighbours who are health compromised and/or had previously scheduled for surgeries that are now being cancelled.”
The rate of full vaccination of eligible residents falls to a low of 48 per cent within the L8L postal code, which covers a portion of Nann’s lower city ward.
Alongside Hamilton, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Porcupine and Renfrew County and District are the other public health units where 74 per cent of eligible residents are fully vaccinated with two doses.
Haldimand-Norfolk has leap-frogged that group, reaching 75 per cent.
The top public health units, in terms of two-dose vaccination rates, are Leeds, Grenville and Lanark at 88 per cent, followed by Halton at 83 per cent.