One in four adults have no protection against COVID in Hamilton
Hamilton has six active COVID cases in seniors as nearly 90 per cent of those age 70 and older have had a first dose.
The city reported seven new infections Monday to bring the total number of active cases to 146. More than 95 per cent are under the age of 70, where there are larger pockets of the unvaccinated.
It shows you how effective our vaccination program is and will be," Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. David Williams, said about declining rates.
A new COVID death was reported Monday in a resident in their 60s. Of the city's, 399 pandemic deaths, 49 have been in this age group.
While severe illness is decreasing, Hamilton's hospitals were caring for 39 COVID patients Monday and 22 of them were in the intensive care unit.
We're concerned that there are people with no vaccinations being admitted to the hospital and going to ICU and dying," said Williams. To me that is ... preventable. We are really at times perplexed that people aren't coming forward."
About one in four Ontarians has not had a first COVID shot. In Hamilton, it's about 28 per cent of eligible adults.
We're imploring people to move to getting their first doses," said Dr. Dirk Huyer, co-ordinator of provincial outbreak response. The Delta variant is more transmissible and does cause more severe illness ... The hospitalizations in the U.K. are those who generally are younger and not vaccinated."
In addition, vaccination is key to stopping a fourth COVID wave as Delta - also known as B.1.617.2 - is expected to be the dominant strain this summer.
As we move to further steps of opening that increases the potential for transmission," said Huyer. We need to protect from that by reducing the potential for infection through vaccination."
Key metrics have dropped to their lowest in Hamilton since Oct. 8. The average daily new cases fell to 17 on June 19 and the rate per 100,000 population was at 19.
Hamilton is down to five outbreaks - none have been declared since June 16. An outbreak was declared over Sunday at Hamilton General's Unit 7S where six patients became ill and one died.
Trends in Ontario continue to head in the right direction," said Williams.
But Delta threatens that, with Scarsin forecasting up to 1,518 cases in Hamilton - if it isn't kept under control partly with vaccination.
Dr. Dominik Mertz said it's understandable if there is some uncertainty in the public because of the ever-changing messaging around AstraZeneca."
It is important that people understand that this is in the nature of science," said Mertz, associate professor in the division of infectious disease at McMaster University. The fact that recommendations changed over time proves that the mechanisms do work."
AstraZeneca has been linked to a rare but potentially deadly blood clotting condition called vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).
The United States and Europe are looking into whether Pfizer and Moderna are associated with rare heart inflammation pericarditis and myocarditis.
Important to understand that for the vast majority of people nothing is going to happen," said Mertz. There is a very small proportion of patients who may develop that condition, mostly young males, and in the vast majority of cases it seems to be quite benign."
So far, Canada has not seen higher rates than normal - although it appears to be more common after a second dose.
These cases have been mild and have resolved with treatment," said Dr. Mark Loeb, chair in infectious diseases at McMaster.
At the end of the day, Mertz says, it's important for people to weigh the benefit of known protection from COVID for themselves but also their loved ones."
Joanna Frketich is a Hamilton-based reporter covering health for The Spectator. Reach her via email: jfrketich@thespec.com