'Fourth wave' starting in Ontario as Mayor Holder calls for vaccine passports

London, Ont. -

The tracking of COVID-19 cases across Ontario shows a disheartening trajectory.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit’s Medical Officer of Health referred to several graphs during a news briefing Monday before declaring that a fourth wave of the pandemic has already started.

“This means there is a pandemic wave coming for you -- unless you get vaccinated.”

Dr. Chris Mackie warns that low daily case counts in Ontario are the result of fewer people getting tested for COVID-19.

He points to the percent of positive tests beginning to steadily climb.

“This just confirms we are going into a fourth wave,” Mackie concluded. “It begs the question of how severe that fourth wave will be?”

He added that the severity of the wave will depend on vaccination rates.

Over the previous six weeks in London and Middlesex County, 93 per cent of new cases were diagnosed in people who were not fully vaccinated.

With vaccination slowing to a crawl, London Mayor Ed Holder pointed to the boost in vaccination witnessed in jurisdictions where vaccine passports have been announced.

“I am an absolute believer in vaccine passports,” declared Holder during the news briefing. "If it was up to me, or if council had the power at the municipal level, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

As of July 31, 80.8 percent of people (12 years of age and older) in Middlesex-London have received a first dose of vaccine, while 66.9 percent are fully-vaccinated.

Holder is calling on the provincial and federal governments to implement a system that will allow quick confirmation of someone’s vaccination status.

Holder points to other jurisdictions where vaccination rates jumped after passports were announced.

He believes it will protect those who can’t be vaccinated and prevent a return of tougher restrictions on businesses during the fourth wave.

“I am hopeful that the province and federal government will act swiftly, and do what’s best, and frankly what appears inevitable.”

The health unit and Middlesex-London Paramedic Service are continuing to hold pop-up vaccination clinics across London and Middlesex County.