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Weekly COVID-19 shots drop by almost a quarter even as MLHU details risk of being unvaccinated

ACOVID-19 mobile vaccination clinic is set up at the Village Green Community Church in London, Ont., August 24, 2021. (Daryl Newcombe / CTV London) ACOVID-19 mobile vaccination clinic is set up at the Village Green Community Church in London, Ont., August 24, 2021. (Daryl Newcombe / CTV London)
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London, Ont. -

Vaccination mandates and warnings about the pandemic’s fourth wave have yet to significantly boost the local vaccination rate, according to data released by the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU.)

On Tuesday, the low attendance at a mobile clinic inside Village Green Community Church surprised many who arrived for a shot.

“Quite surprised that there aren’t more people in there right now,” said David Hooper after bringing his 12-year-old son Nolan for his second dose.

Hooper noted how significantly demand has declined since his son received his first dose at a busy clinic in mid-summer.

“I started joking with some of the volunteers tonight that we should try to drum up more business, because they said they’re seeing a real decline in numbers,” he added.

According to data released by the health unit, just 11,985 doses were administered during the week ending August 21 - a 23 per cent decline from the previous week, and the slowest week for vaccinations since late March when supply was limited.

This graph shows the vaccination status for COVID-19 cases in the past six weeks. (Source: Middlesex-London Health Unit)

In Middlesex-London the number of eligible people (12 years and older) that have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine inched up to 82.5 per cent, still leaving almost one in five unvaccinated.

“The Delta strain, because it’s so infectious, it will start to tear through populations of unvaccinated individuals,” warned Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers during a media briefing on Monday.

This graph shows the doses administered per week and by location type. (Source: Middlesex-London Health Unit)

And new data released by the MLHU indicates how severe the health impacts have already been in London and Middlesex County for the unvaccinated who contract the virus.

Of the 505 confirmed cases during the past six weeks, 437 (86.5 per cent) were not fully vaccinated.

Of 17 hospitalizations over that same period, only one person was fully vaccinated.

Both deaths caused by the virus were in the unvaccinated.

Summers says the benefits of being fully vaccinated as Ontario enters the fourth wave are clear.

“Even if you are infected, your probability of having symptoms, and severe symptoms that require hospitalization or leading to death, drop dramatically.”

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