The Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU) held a COVID-19 press briefing November 22, the first one since they were suspended in October. Chief Medical Officer of the EOHU, Dr Paul Roumelioutis, gave a general update on COVID case numbers, vaccination numbers, and the pediatric vaccine rolling out this week.
COVID-19 case numbers across the region are trending upwards again, but not nearly as much as they did in an outbreak. There were 627 new cases today, but hospital and ICU admissions are the same as yesterday, meaning that none of the cases have progressed to a serious enough state to warrant hospitalization. Numbers going up again but not nearly as much as in outbreak, and Cornwall continues to be the biggest pain point in the province, although their numbers are still much better than October.
The province has reached 92% of first doses given and 89% of second doses given. Roumelioutis said during the briefing that only 2,400 more seconds doses are needed to reach 90% across the province, and that around 5,300 third doses have been given so far. Third doses will continue to move down the age groups, just as the first two vaccine doses were done.
Finally, the age 5-11 vaccines are ready to start distribution as soon as Thursday of this week. Once they start, they will be available at all the normal vaccine clinics and pharmacies, and the EOHU will also be giving them in school-based clinics for around three weeks. Roumelioutis is hopeful that if the current pace keeps up, more restrictions can be lifted, and some sense of normalcy can return by spring 2022.
