With more details seeping out about the provincial plan for reopening schools this fall, the region’s acting medical officer of health grows continuously weary about the vaccine uptake among teens.
While around 79 percent of residents have been vaccinated, bringing the region closer to the federal goal of 83 percent, a considerable lesser uptake has been noted in ages 12 - 17 in the region.
“I am worried what will happen in elementary schools,” Hirji said during a Tuesday media update.
“Many do not even have a first dose, which is harder to get started than the second dose.”
The approximately five weeks remaining until schools reopen could be crucial in order to avoid fall- and winter surges fueled by the more contagious Delta-variant, Hirji said as he revealed that Public Health is planning to push pop-up vaccine clinic initiatives in order to reach unvaccinated groups.
CDC still recommends masks in school, physical distancing measures, and organizing classes with cohorts, so that in case of an outbreak, the affected can quickly be isolated to make sure the school does not have to close in the middle of a semester.
Vaccine hesitancy in Niagara, said Hirji, is largely seen among three ground.
“There are those who are hardcore against the vaccine, and are active on social media and trying to push a message, and spreading lies about the vaccine. Then, there are those who are unsure about vaccinations, and can be convinced, but are not speaking out very loudly,” said Hirji, and pointed to the third group as the most substantial in terms of numbers.
“There are those who are complacent, and are okay getting vaccinated, but their lives are busy, maybe they are working or are out enjoying the summer. We have a lot of opportunity to get above 75 or 80 percent just by vaccinating that group.”
While Niagara averages around 3 cases per day, and an R-number hovering under, or just above 1, Hirji said the impact of the vaccinations are evident, but not enough to completely let go of all restrictions such as in Alberta or Florida, that are both currently seeing surges of the virus.
“It is inevitable that we are going to see cases go up, but it is a question about whether cases go up a little bit and stay controlled, or they sprial out of control, and overwhelm the hospital system. Once vaccinations are higher, we can drive the number down even more, and that is the point that we can reopen.”
Niagara reported a single case of COVID-19 on Tuesday, with a single patient hospitalized.
