High amounts of available COVID-19 vaccines, along with increasing eligibility have caused high vaccination rates in the region.
The Northwestern Health Unit has released their weekly vaccine update and shows a 73.1 per cent overall vaccination rate of people 18 years of age and older receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. That is a jump of 2 per cent from last week where the region had a 71.1 per cent vaccination rate.
Fort Frances and Sioux Lookout Health Hubs led the way last week with a first dose vaccination rate of 77.0 per cent, Atikokan Health Hub had 76.4 per cent, Dryden Health Hub is at 76.2 per cent, Kenora Health Hub is at 72.8 percent of people receiving at least their first dose, Emo Health Hub had 70.1 per cent, Rainy River is at 62 per cent and rounding out the region is Red Lake at 50.7 percent of people receiving their first dose.
The 70-79 age group led the way this past week with 81.0 percent receiving at least their first dose, 60-69 is at 78.5 percent, 80 and over is at 76.0 per cent, 50-59 was at 72.9 per cent, 40-49 is at 70.0 per cent, 30-39 is at 66.6 per cent and rounding out the age groups is 18-29 with 59.2 per cent receiving at least their first dose.
As per the fully vaccinated percentage, the NWHU confirmed that 46.7 per cent of people eligible across the district is fully vaccinated which has jumped 8 per cent from last week.
The Sioux Lookout Health Hub led the pack with 52.9 per cent being fully vaccinated, Kenora Health Hub is at 50.8 percent, Fort Frances is at 50.4 per cent, Emo Health Hub has 47.3 receiving their second dose, Dryden Health Hub is at 44.5 per cent, Atikokan Health Hub is at 37.2 per cent and rounding out the district 24 per cent of the Red Lake Health Hub is fully vaccinated.
As per age groups being fully vaccinated the 70-79 age group is at 66.7 per cent, 80 and over is at 63.7 per cent, 60-69 came in at 54.6 per cent, 50-59 per cent is fully vaccinated, 40-49 is at 40.0 per cent, the group 30-39 is at 36.1 per cent and rounding the age groups 18-29 per cent is fully vaccinated.
It has been confirmed that 82,584 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.
These vaccine percentages are well over the vaccine threshold needed to enter Step Two of the Roadmap to Reopen the province laid out back on May 20, 2021. To move into Step Two the province needs at least 70 per cent of adults receiving at least their first dose and 20 percent of adults receiving their second dose. The tentative start date of Step Two is scheduled for July 2, 2021.