Vaccine rollout across the country continues to accelerate and in this region, the local public health unit expects everyone who wants the jab could be fully vaccinated by early August or sooner.
Dr. Nicola Mercer, CEO and medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, delivered the news during a Thursday COVID-19 update to Wellington County Council.
“Given the amount the amount of vaccine that’s coming into Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health over the next number of weeks, we think it’s very possible that by the time we get to early August, maybe even sooner, we will have been able to have fully vaccinated, meaning everybody will have had an opportunity to get their second dose of vaccine,” Mercer said.
She urged anyone who hadn’t yet had their first dose, to drop into any public health clinic to get the jab that day or be provided with an appointment for the following one.
Contacting your physician or local pharmacy is another option. On Tuesday “more than 10,000 doses” were sitting in pharmacies across the area, Mercer said.
Everyone who received their first dose on or before May 30 can now book their second shot.Vaccination rates in Wellington and Dufferin counties are lagging behind those of the City of Guelph where 82 per cent of people aged 12 and up have received their first shot — that's compared to 70 per cent in Wellington County.
Mercer also responded to questions from councillors, including if unvaccinated children 12 and up would be allowed to return to school.
She said the province was looking at the matter, but as far as she was aware, vaccination would not be a requirement. But she did anticipate vaccinated children may have “different privileges” than their unvaccinated peers, for example when it came to sporting activities.
“We have spots, we want them vaccinated,” Mercer said. “So children that show up in September without being vaccinated are children of parents who chose not to be vaccinated. It’s not about access at this point, it’s about decisions.”
