Don't make any plans for a parade yet, but Chatham-Kent Public Health and its COVID-19 vaccination team are celebrating a total of 50,000 doses going into arms of residents.
The health unit said that mark was hit on Wednesday. On Thursday, it reported 50,283 residents have had at least one dose of vaccine and about 2,500 have had two. Local public health officials also estimate 54 per cent of the area's population 12 and older have received at least one dose. Chatham-Kent Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said on Tuesday that the 60 per cent mark should be reached soon.
Dr. Colby said there too many champions to name but he's very proud of all of them.
"All kinds of people have come together and hit the ball out of the park. It's a group effort and the old saying is it takes a village," said Colby.
The Tilbury District Family Health Team said its vaccination clinic on Thursday is open to all members of the public 18 and over and walk-ins are welcome. The clinic is using the Moderna vaccine and is open until 8 p.m. at 22 Mill Street in Tilbury. Health cards are required.
More second dose appointments are also being booked. Click here to see if you are eligible for a second dose appointment. The health unit said appointments become available as the vaccine supply is confirmed and people should stay tuned as they continue to add future dates for booking appointments.
Dr. Colby noted 96 per cent of local long term care and retirement home residents have been fully vaccinated, but the vaccination rate of long term care staff remains low at around 60 per cent. He said he would welcome it if COVID-19 shots became mandatory for staff.
"It has been made mandatory in several countries around the world and I think it makes sense," he said. "It's extremely disappointing. We have made a great effort to reach out to those staff members and we have not been successful in getting a large number of them vaccinated."
Colby added many of the long term care staff members didn't want the COVID-19 vaccine because of what he called "unscientific beliefs." The vaccination rate at the Chatham-Kent hospitals remains very high, according to hospital President and CEO Lori Marshall.
Chatham-Kent Public Health also reported the number of active cases has dropped to 16 after one new case and five resolved cases. The outbreak in the Medicine Unit at Chatham hospital continues with four active cases while the outbreak at an undisclosed workplace is still in effect but doesn't have any active cases listed.
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) reported seven COVID-19 patients hospitalized, one less than the previous day. All of them are residents of Chatham-Kent. Two of the COVID-19 patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and one of them is on a ventilator. However, the 10 bed ICU is 90 per cent full with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. The Medical, Surgical, and Critical Care Unit is at 91.6 per cent occupancy and CKHA President and CEO Lori Marshall said some local patients have been transferred to Windsor Regional Hospital in the past few days because some of the hospital beds in Chatham are not accessible because of the outbreak.
"This approach of load balancing and hospitals supporting one another across the province, I think we can anticipate this will be the future for some period of time," said Marshall. "We will continue to support other areas as required and are very thankful for the ability to transfer patients from Chatham-Kent in the event we need that support as well."
Marshall noted the Chatham hospital has received zero patient transfers from other areas in the last week or so.
