Windsor-Essex lowers COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to 55

Windsor-Essex residents who are 55 and older are now eligible to get vaccinated at a mass vaccination clinic, the public health unit announced Thursday.

Previously, those 60 and up were eligible at the six clinic sites, along with those 40 and up in seven "hot spot" postal codes,and various other groups such as child-care workers and those with some health conditions.

Those 40 and up remain eligible for shots through pharmacies.A full list of who is eligible isavailable on the health unit's website.

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is using its own booking system, rather than the provincial site.Appointments can be booked through WEvax.ca.

Since the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began, there have been 161,793shots administered in Windsor-Essex and 148,044 people have received at least one dose. That means about 33.8 per cent of people in the region have had at least one shot.

WECHU alsoannounced 44 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, and there are 17 active outbreaks.

Of the new cases,13 cases werecommunity acquired, meaning there isn't a known transmission source,11 are close contacts of confirmed cases, sevenare outbreak related and 13 cases are under investigation.

The number of active cases stands at435.

There are 13workplace outbreaks, including:

• Three in Leamington's agriculture sector.
• One in Windsor's construction sector.
• One in Tecumseh's construction sector.
• One in Lakeshore's food and beverage sector.
• One in Windsor's food and beverage sector.
• Three in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector.
• One in Windsor's manufacturing sector.
• Two in Windsor's retail sector.

A new community outbreak was declared, at Parkwood Gospel Church,which involves a COVID-19 variant of concern.

There are also outbreaks active atSouthwest Detention Centre,Ecole Secondaire Catholique l'Essor andExtendicare Southwood Lakes.

COVID-19 in Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton

There are 10 newCOVID-19 cases in Sarnia Lambton on Thursday, and 76 active cases overall.

Chatham-Kent, which reported threenew cases on Thursday,currently has 37 active COVID-19 cases.