Hamilton breaks COVID vaccination record for a single clinic on Canada Day

Hamilton broke a local record for vaccinations at a single clinic on Canada Day.

The FirstOntario Centre clinic administered an estimated 2,732 doses on July 1, the highest number of vaccines given at any Hamilton clinic so far. The same clinic was also the site of the previous record - an estimated 2,558 doses on June 26 - which it beat by 174.

The news comes as the city and province race against the spread of the Delta variant, which is already posing a challenge in Waterloo.

The majority of doses at the downtown clinic were second shots, public health said, of which there were 2,621. There were also 111 first doses.

Hamilton public health and its partners are heartened by the community demand for COVID-19 vaccines, and the continued hard work and dedication of front-line vaccine clinic staff on Canada Day," said spokesperson James Berry in an email.

The total number of doses administered on July 1 was 6,358. Hamilton broke its overall record for immunizations on June 28, when 9,834 doses were given across the city.

The city estimates that 72.7 per cent of Hamiltonians aged 12-plus have received at least one vaccine dose. About 35.9 per cent were fully vaccinated by the end of Thursday.

As of Friday, 77 per cent of Ontarians 12-plus had at least one dose, while 40 per cent were fully vaccinated.

The populations with the lowest first-dose coverage in Hamilton are those ages 12 to 17, followed by residents ages 25 to 29. Both groups were just shy of 60 per cent coverage for their first dose as of Thursday.

There were also 204 doses administered at a walk-in vaccine clinic Thursday for youth and their families at the Bernie Morelli Recreation Centre. Again, the majority were second doses, with 85 first shots.

Public health was pleased by the turnout."

We continue to encourage all community members 12 years of age and older to complete their vaccine series," said Berry.

Getting two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine is the best way community members can protect themselves, their loved ones and their community from COVID-19 and its variants."

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Maria Iqbal is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator covering aging. Reach her via email: miqbal@thespec.com