Once hard-hit by the virus, Scarborough celebrates half-million mark in vaccine doses
Karanjeet Singh rolled up his sleeve Monday for his first COVID-19 vaccine—and with the jab, the Scarborough Vaccine Team marked half a million doses administered.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in our community’s engagement in this,” said Dr. Mayo Ravichandiran, the emergency room physician who administered the milestone shot.
“In Scarborough we saw the infection rates and positivity rates go from 27 per cent just three months ago in April, to now on par with the community, the Ontario average.”
At the height of the third wave of the virus, 16 of 17 Scarborough postal codes were designated COVID-19 hotspots, but vaccination rates have been a game-changer for hard-hit neighbourhoods.
But the clinic at the Centennial College progress campus, which has vaccinated an average of more than 1,400 people a day, will remain open for several months more as officials push to reach those who haven’t yet had one or both doses.
“Early on, the obstacles were of course getting the vaccine,” said Elizabeth Buller, CEO of the Scarborough Health Network. “And now of course the gap is people who still have concerns, fears about getting vaccinated.”
Ontario health officials reported 119 new cases of COVID-19 Monday, a slight dip from the previous few days.
But infectious disease expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch warned that case counts would likely rise again now that the province has re-opened more fully.
”There’s still millions and millions of Canadians who are unvaccinated. You can’t be surprised if you give this virus an opportunity to be transmitted, primarily in indoor settings, that it’s ultimately transmitted,” Bogoch said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.