Data shows unvaccinated residents seven times more likely to become infected with COVID-19

@ Abu Malik
While the rate of COVID-19 cases is low in Toronto, it is growing. New case data shows more infections are now being reported among younger adults and unvaccinated individuals, who are seven times more likely to become infected with COVID-19. The new data was released today when Mayor John Tory and Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa provided an update on the City of Toronto’s vaccination progress. Toronto Public Health also reported an increase in vaccinations since the Province of Ontario announced a proof of vaccination system.
As of September 7 at 8 a.m., more than 4.6 million (4,602,453) COVID-19 vaccine doses had been administered in Toronto. According to Toronto Public Health’s vaccine dashboard updated late Tuesday, 77.6 per cent of residents 12 and older are fully vaccinated and 83.6 per cent of eligible residents have at least their first dose.
As of September 6, there has been an 18 per cent increase in first dose vaccinations administered to Toronto residents since August 31. The seven-day moving average for the first week in September did see a slight uptick in first doses administered from September 1 to 5. September 2 and 3 dose counts were the highest number of first doses administered since late July.
Submissions of out-of-province vaccination records have also increased following the Province’s proof of vaccination announcement. For some time, the average daily submission rate has been approximately 200, with daily fluctuations from 100 to 300. In the two days following the provincial announcement, Toronto Public Health received approximately 700 submissions each day – an increase of approximately 233 per cent.
During today’s media briefing, Dr. de Villa shared recent TPH data indicating that case rates among unvaccinated individuals are approximately seven times higher than among those fully vaccinated. Further to this, Dr. de Villa shared that current COVID-19 case counts in Toronto are now highest among the 20 to 29 age group, with older residents that become infected with the virus still more likely to be hospitalized.
To protect Toronto residents, TPH is targeting full vaccination for 90 per cent of residents. Approximately 336,000 Torontonians require vaccination to reach the 90 per cent target. Of those, 164,000 have already received their first dose. Vaccination is important because vaccines lower risks of severe illness, hospitalization and death.
Experiences in other jurisdictions have also shown that vaccines can reduce opportunities for virus spread, community transmission and outbreaks. This is why the City, Toronto Public Health and Team Toronto partners continue to urge people to get vaccinated as soon as possible. The higher the vaccination rate, the more protection the community will have against COVID-19, especially for those who cannot get vaccinated such as residents who may be immunocompromised and children under 12. Vaccines are another layer of protection to keep the city as safe as possible
Progress continues to be made in the COVID-19 vaccination effort. New data from Ipsos shows that at the time of the survey last month, 81 per cent of surveyed Toronto residents reported receiving either one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine and there has been a 7 per cent drop in vaccine hesitancy since residents were surveyed in March 2021.
Among parents who have children 12 years of age or older, the Ipsos survey findings indicated that approximately 69 per cent of respondents indicated that their child has received one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. The survey findings also show that approximately 64 per cent of parents with children 11 years of age or younger indicated that they would vaccinate their children should a vaccine become available for this age group.
The survey also found among those residents who have been vaccinated, 97 per cent were either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the vaccination experience. The results of the survey can be found on the City’s website: COVID 19: Vaccine Data
COVID-19 continues to circulate in Toronto, and vaccines are the best protection against the virus and the way forward out of the pandemic. Given the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the community, residents are urged to begin their vaccination, if they have not already done so, or get their second vaccine dose as soon as possible. Torontonians are also asked to continue following public health measures, including staying home when sick, practising physical distancing and wearing a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
Toronto Public Health is reporting 601 new cases of COVID-19 in the city for the four days since the last report – an average of 150 cases per day. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been a total of 175,496 cases of COVID-19. There are 83 people hospitalized. To date, there have been 3,624 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. In total, 170,229 people have recovered. Case status data can be found on Toronto Public Health’s Reporting dashboard.
The City and Team Toronto vaccination partners continue to make getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as convenient as possible. Community settings, organizations and workplaces are also encouraged to request a mobile vaccination clinic for their setting. Individuals can submit a request on behalf of their setting on Toronto Public Health’s website: COVID-19: How to Get Vaccinated.