As the public debate continues over the idea of mandatory vaccines and vaccine passports, Public Health Ontario (PHO) statistics reveal the numbers of Ontario residents who have gone out to get their COVID-19 vaccine.
Public health stats reveal that for those Ontario residents who are qualified (age 12 and older) to get the vaccine, more than 82 per cent have had one dose. That's 10.7 million people. The stats also show that 75 per cent are fully vaccinated, which is 9.8 million people.
These numbers put Ontario beyond the vaccine expectations outlined by the Ontario government in July for the Step-3 level of the Roadmap to Reopening. Many of the pandemic restrictions were being lifted or loosened when that happened on July 16, 2021.
When Ontario finally moves beyond the Roadmap to Reopen, the majority of public health measures in effect under Step Three will be lifted. This will include:
-Removing capacity limits in all sectors.
-Removing limits for social gatherings and organized public events.
-Removing requirements such as active screening of patrons and workers.
While Ontario residents may have been expecting the province to move beyond Step 3 and remove virtually all pandemic restrictions by the start of the new school year, it is not happening for the time being. It was last week that Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore announced that the reopening process was being paused because of the growing incidence of Delta Variant COVID cases.
Also, in many parts of Ontario, including the jurisdiction of the Public Health Sudbury and Districts, COVID case counts have been on the rise.
The situation has prompted Public Health Ontario and health units across the province to launch a full-court press on urging more residents to get vaccinated.
Across Northern Ontario, there appears to have been vaccine "acceptance" close to the provincial numbers (PHO data dated Aug. 25, 2021).
Sudbury's Health Unit has reported 81 per cent for one dose and 73 per cent for both doses.
Algoma Health Unit (Sault Ste. Marie, Wawa, Blind River, Elliot Lake) has reported 84 per cent for one vaccine dose and 75 per cent for two doses.
North Bay - Parry Sound health unit has reported 80 per cent for one dose and 73 per cent for two doses.
Northwestern Health Unit (Kenora, Rainy River, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake) has reported 82 per cent for one dose and 73 per cent for two doses of vaccine.
Porcupine Health Unit (Timmins, Cochrane, Kapuskasing) has reported 80 per cent for a single dose and 71 per cent for both doses.
Thunder Bay District Health Unit reported 87 per cent for the single dose and 79 per cent for the double dose.
Timiskaming Health Unit (Temiskaming Shores, Kirkland Lake) has reported 79 per cent for one dose and 72 per cent for two doses.
By comparison, the area with the lowest vaccine compliance in Ontario is Chatham-Kent which reported 78 per cent for single dose vaccines and 71 per cent for two doses.
Some of the numbers cited above might vary with local stats provided by local health units and not yet submitted to the province.
