Huron Perth’s top doctor sees the increase in eligible youth’s vaccination rates as a good sign heading into the new school year.
Medical officer of Health, Dr. Miriam Klassen, says about 68% of youth 12 and older have received one dose, and about 54% are fully vaccinated.
“Certainly there is room for improvement. There are areas in the province that are getting much higher rates. But there’s all these layers of protection and vaccination is by far the most effective layer. So the higher we can get the vaccination rate, the more we will set up the conditions for a successful school reopening.”
Dr. Klassen adds with a 4th wave of COVID-19 looming, and infection rates rising, you may notice more individuals contracting the COVID-19 virus even after becoming vaccinated.
“In Ontario now, we have over 10 million vaccinated people, so the denominator is very big. So even when a small proportion of those people have what’s called ‘breakthrough cases’, it’s important to remember that the proportion is much smaller in vaccinated people than unvaccinated people.”
With over 79% of eligible Huron-Perth residents having received at least one dose and more than 72% fully vaccinated, Dr. Klassen says there is a strong layer of protection against community transmission overall.
