HURON-PERTH – Omicron has officially arrived in the region, after two confirmed cases of the COVID-19 variant were reported by Huron Perth Public Health (HPPH) last week.
Dr. Miriam Klassen made the announcement during HPPH’s bi-weekly teleconference on Dec. 22. Sixteen other cases are also currently under investigation to determine if they contain the Omicron variant.
“We can assume that Omicron, if it isn’t already, soon will be the dominant strain (in the Huron-Perth region),” said Klassen. “We all need to really take Omicron seriously. It transmits very, very readily. We know that two doses (of vaccine) is not as effective against Omicron as it is against Delta – three doses is better.”
HPPH continues to ramp up vaccination clinics for third booster doses for all residents 18 and older that are eligible. Clinics are by-appointment only at the current time.
To date, 234,640 vaccine doses have been administered in the region as of last week. For all residents aged five and older, 82.1 per cent have received one vaccine dose, 77.4 per cent have received two doses – which still stands as the definition of “fully vaccinated” at this point in time in Ontario – while 15.7 per cent have received three doses.
“Demand at this time is outstripping capacity,” said Klassen of the current regional vaccine clinic demand. “Be patient and we’ll keep working away at it, and everyone will be able to be vaccinated.
“What is happening with the Omicron variant is not really unexpected. All the same measures that have been effective all along are still the measures that are effective.”
