Brampton officials say all COVID-19 hospitalizations in June were in people not fully vaccinated
Officials in Brampton, Ont. are making yet another plea for people to get their shots, saying that all of the people hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the month of June were either partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday morning, Mayor Patrick Brown said that between June 1 and July 9, 100 per cent of the 81 people hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 were not fully immunized with both doses of the vaccine.
“That’s a staggering figure,” he told reporters.
Two thirds of those individuals were completely unvaccinated, the region’s medical officer of health added, while two patients developed COVID-19 within the two-week period following their second dose.
“It’s an important reminder that you’re only fully protected two weeks after your second dose, especially with the Delta variants circulating in our community.” Dr. Lawrence Loh said.
On Wednesday, provincial health officials reported a spike in Delta variant cases, logging 123 new infections in lab-confirmed COVID-19 tests.
A day earlier, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said that vaccinations are critical in preventing hospitalizations and deaths as the Delta variant continues to spread. He also added that unvaccinated people are 6.4 times more likely of contracting COVID-19 than vaccinated individuals.
Brown suggested that the number of hospitalizations in Brampton proves it’s worth getting the vaccine.
“It shows in a very crystal clear manner that vaccines work, vaccines save lives, vaccines prevent you from being hospitalized, vaccines keep your community safe and if you do get vaccinated, you are going to help us get out of Stage 3 and get back to normal as well.”
In order to move past Step 3 of Ontario’s reopening plan, at least 80 per cent of the eligible population aged 12 and up needs to have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 75 per cent need to be fully immunized with both doses.
All public health unit will need to have 70 per cent of their population fully vaccinated.
“We are now 12 days into Step 3,” Loh said. “Our numbers remain favourable, with our case counts at 8.9 per 100,000 and test positivity at 1.5 per cent in the City of Brampton.”
Loh added that 80 per cent of Peel Region’s eligible population has received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Sixty-five per cent have received their second dose and are considered fully vaccinated.
Individuals between 18 and 24 have a “staggering” 94.7 per cent first dose coverage, Loh said.
On Wednesday, provincial officials said that 12 new cases of COVID-19 were identified in Peel Region.
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