Southwestern meets Ontario vaccination targets

Southwestern Public Health reported Monday, Aug. 30, that Elgin, St. Thomas and Oxford had as a whole reached the vaccination targets set by the Ontario government for moving beyond Step 3 of the province’s Roadmap to Reopen.

The targets required at least 80 percent of a health unit region’s eligible population (12 and older) to have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, and 75 percent two doses.

As of Sunday, Aug. 29, 81.8 percent of regional residents had at least one dose and 75.1 percent two doses.

However, Elgin County continues to lag behind St. Thomas and Oxford when considered separately.

In Elgin, only 72.9 percent of residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, compared to 80.7 percent in Oxford and 86.1 percent in St. Thomas.