Only nine Ontarians under the age of 60 have ended up in the ICU with a breakthrough case of COVID-19
There have been more than 17,000 so-called breakthrough cases of COVID-19 involving fully vaccinated Ontarians over the last year but the number of those people under 60 who eventually ended up in an intensive care unit is only nine.
Public Health Ontario has compiled a new report examining the prevalence of breakthrough infections in the province up until Nov. 14.
The report provides the most exhaustive look at breakthrough infections in Ontario to date and seems to support the testimony of public health experts, who have consistently argued that the vaccines are extremely effective at preventing both symptomatic infection and hospitalizations.
The data shows that there have been 17,596 breakthrough cases among the more than 11 million Ontarians who are fully vaccinated, accounting for 3.8 per cent of all lab-confirmed cases.
But it also suggests that the share of fully vaccinated people who end up in hospital is even lower, particularly among those under the age of 60.
In fact, over the last year there have been just 83 people under the age of 60 who have ended up in hospital with a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Of those individuals, just nine of them have required treatment in an intensive care unit.
As a point of comparison a total of 8,355 unvaccinated individuals under the age of 60 have ended up in hospital with COVID-19 over the same time-period and 1,722 of them have required treatment in the ICU.
Across all age groups the number of individuals with breakthrough infections who ended up in intensive care is 81, accounting for about 1.9 per cent of COVID-19 ICU admissions.
The release of the data comes as fully vaccinated individuals begin to account for an increasingly larger share of Ontario’s overall caseload, sometimes even making up the majority of new infections in the province’s daily case counts.
But the authors of the report caution that an increasing share of breakthrough infections is to be expected with more than 85 per cent of Ontarians age 12 and up now fully vaccinated.
They do say that the evidence continues to suggest that when COVID-19 cases occur following vaccination “there is evidence that vaccines reduce symptomatic infection, the severity of illness, as well as transmission.”
“Over time as a population becomes more highly vaccinated the number of post-vaccination cases, including breakthrough cases, will likely increase,” the report notes. “Even with a highly effective vaccine, cases may occur among vaccinated individuals due to a larger proportion of the population being vaccinated than unvaccinated.”
The data released by Public Health Ontario suggests that the rate of COVID-19 infections in fully vaccinated individuals has “remained consistent over time,” even with many of those people now months removed from receiving their second doses and Ontario beginning to administer booster shots to a small group of individuals amid concerns about waning immunity.
However, infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch told CP24 on Thursday morning that it also points to the need for a wider rollout of third doses.
So far there have only been 40 instances of breakthrough cases of COVID-19 involving individuals who are 14 days out from a third dose.
“If we look at the data it is pretty clear that we could expand or should expand eligibility for third doses,” he said. “We don’t all need third doses and we can debate which age cohort would be best served by third doses at this time but my take is the 50 and up crowd. Other people might look at the data and say something else. That is OK. But I think it is fair to say that we should be expanding third doses in Ontario.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
Man fatally 'slashed in the neck' in downtown Toronto, suspect outstanding
Police are searching for a male suspect after a man was “slashed in neck” on Sunday morning in downtown Toronto and died.