Locals getting vaccinated at swifter pace
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on October 15, 2021.
https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews About 1,200 Hatters received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine over the past 12 days, according to figures provided by Alberta Health Services. That comes as provincial health and medical officials stress vaccination as the best way to prevent serious effects of the disease, stem new infection and stop rising case loads in hospitals. It also pushes the total number of Medicine Hatters with a first dose to almost 48,500, or about 82% of those older than 12. New figures also shows new uptake spread across all demographics, though the largest increase comes from those under 40, including teenagers. Those two groups locally still lag behind the specific provincial average, which had led to targeted calls from officials to “get the shot.” A total of 475 first inoculations were given to those aged 20 to 39, bringing the total percentage in the local age cohort to 73. The percentage of first doses covered among those aged 12 to 19 rose by nearly four points to 75, as 237 shots were administered in October. Another 301 shots were delivered to those aged between 40 and 59, bringing first shot coverage in the age bracket to 81.7% – about the average for the entire eligible local population. Another 31 first doses were delivered to those older than 75 since Oct. 1. That age group was scheduled first to receive vaccine last winter, and is now considered 90.3 % fully vaccinated with two shots. In total, 1,152 first shots were delivered to those with Medicine Hat address by either by AHS or local pharmacies between Oct. 1 and 13. Average first shot coverage in Cypress County sat at 74 %of the eligible population on Oct. 13, similar to the County of Newell (including the city of Brooks). The same figure for the County of Forty Mile’s was 48.8%, and for the M.D of Taber, 56.1%. The province-wide percentage for first doses is 85.5 of those older than 12, while 72.7% have had a second dose. 15-14
