The London Middlesex region is marking a big milestone Thursday, with it being one year ago that the first COVID-19 vaccine was administered.
On Dec 31, 2020, Karen Dunn, a registered nurse, became the first recipient of a COVID-19 vaccine in London at the Western Fair Agriplex.
Since then, more than 881,000 doses have been administered locally, with children as young as five now eligible to get the shot.
“As we close the book on 2021 and head into 2022, we have every reason to be optimistic,” says Dr. Alex Summers, acting medical officer of health with the MLHU.
“I think we as a community, and as a province, and as a country when it comes to COVID-19 are in a better position than we were a year ago.”
Summers said with cases numbers rising, the vaccine is helping people fight off more serious infections, and thereby helping keep the hospital from bettering overwhelmed.
On Thursday, the health unit reported its highest daily case count to date, with 263 new cases.
Summers noted that COVID will likely never go away, but with the help of vaccines it will become more manageable the pandemic will end.
London Mayor Ed Holder was also optimistic about what the next year would bring, urging people to look at how things have changed from where we were a year ago.
“There was a lot we did not know about COVID 12 months ago, even though we had been in it for the best part of the year,” says Holder.
Holder was quick to note that there are more financial supports available for businesses than there were a year ago, and unlike last year we are not in a lockdown.
Another thing to note was vaccine eligibility expanding to include kids ranging in age from five to 17.
More than 91 per cent of residents age 12 and older in the London region have had at least one shot, while nearly 89 per cent are double vaccinated.
Just under 82 per cent of residents five and older are fully vaccinated in London and Middlesex.
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