Chatham-Kent’s Public Health Officer worries about another COVID wave for the municipality
Chatham-Kent’s medical officer of health said the COVID-19 case count in the region is going in the wrong direction.
“Our numbers are inching up,” said Dr. David Colby, who noted most hospital cases involve unvaccinated people.
So far, 76 per cent of the population 12 years and up in Chatham-Kent have received a single dose and 68 per cent have been doubled dosed.
“It’s a curve of decreasing return,” Colby pointed out it, as it gets harder and harder to motivate those unvaccinated people to roll up their sleeves.
He added there will be two to three per cent of the population who will oppose vaccination.
Efforts have stepped up to motivate people who remain on the fence, a challenge Colby characterized as difficult.
However, Colby said Chatham-Kent Health Unit is using an outreach program to make vaccination convenient, while dispelling rumors vaccines pose a health risk.
“Facts are the vaccinations are safe and effective and if there was some trouble we would see it now,” said Colby.
Case counts also remain a concern for municipal leaders who worry another wave could trigger a lock down.
“We have had three waves already and we’ve seen what the province has had to do to keep people safe,” warned Don Shropshire Chatham-Kent’s Chief Administrative Officer.
At this point, the municipality has not discussed a vaccine passport or certificate to use public facilities like inside ice rinks as Shropshire thought that policy would have to come from the province.
Chatham-Kent’s Mayor thought the unvaccinated population rate of 30 per cent was too high.
Darrin Canniff said, “the solution is there, we just have to grab a hold of it.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Gangs netting up to US$3 trillion a year as Southeast Asia human trafficking becomes a global crisis, Interpol says
Human trafficking-fuelled fraud is exploding in Southeast Asia with organized crime rings raking in close to US$3 trillion in illicit revenue annually, the head of Interpol has said in comments that reveal the huge profits being earned by cartels.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6% in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.