Young people in Waterloo region get COVID-19 shot at higher rate than provincial average

Young people in Waterloo region are by far outpacing the provincial average when it comes to getting their COVID-19 vaccine.

For people aged 12 to 17:

• In Waterloo region, 71.65 per cent have one dose, 52.79 per cent have two doses.
• Provincially, 67.2 per cent have one dose and 49.2 per cent have two doses.

For people aged 18 to 29:

• In Waterloo region, 88.11 per cent have one dose, 68.59 per cent have two doses.
• Provincially, 71.6 per cent have one dose and 56.2 per cent have two doses.

The 18 to 29-year-old age range is also the group with the highest percentage of people who have received a first dose of the vaccine as of Wednesday's regional update:

The top four age groups were:

• 18 to 29 has 88.11 per cent with one dose.
• 80-plus has 87.67 per cent with one dose.
• 70 to 79 has 87.65 per cent with one dose.
• 60 to 69 has 84.38 per cent with one dose.

People aged 80 and older have the highest rate of being fully vaccinated with 84.16 per cent, followed closely by people aged 70 to 79 at 83.81 per cent.

People in their 30s and 40s are also above the provincial average. The region's numbers slip under the provincial average at the 50 to 59 age groupand then all age groups above that are below the provincial average.

Last week, the region's CAO Bruce Lauckner said health and regional officials could not stress enough how important it was for people to get their second dose as soon as possible, especially with the delta variant circulating in the community.

"We're beyond asking, we're pleading for people to get vaccinated," Lauckner said.

Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region's medical officer of health, said she'd like to see the region reach a 90 per cent vaccination rate, which would protect those who cannot get the vaccine, including children aged 11 and under.

In total so far, 83.27 per cent of people aged 12 and up in the region have one dose and 71.57 per cent of people have both doses.

19 new cases of COVID-19

Region of Waterloo Public Health reported 19 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.

There was one new death of a person with the virus reported, a man in his 70s, which brought the total number of COVID-related deaths in the region to 283.

There were 19 people infectious with the virus in Waterloo region's three hospitals, a rise of two from the previous day, with 10 people in the intensive-care unit. Those in the ICU may no longer be infectious with COVID-19, but still require specialized care, the region's dashboard says.

There were eight active outbreaks in the region:

• Workplaces: Five.
• Hospitals: Two.
• Child care/summer camp: One.