Kingston leads the way in COVID-19 vaccine doses per capita

As we enter the first week of the provincially-mandated lockdown, it appears that the KFL&A region has at least one thing to celebrate: the most number of administered vaccines per capita across Ontario.

The data is according to the website covid19tracker.ca and is accurate as of Saturday, April 3, 2021. It suggests that the Kingston region has administered 28 doses per 100 residents.

“We are especially pleased to report that a large percentage of our older adult population are getting vaccinated,” Dr. Kieran Moore, Medical Officer of Health at KFL&A Public Health said last week in regards to the region reaching the milestone of 25 per cent of the adult population vaccinated.

The next highest regions according to the website are Chatham and Windsor, both of which are said to have administered 22 doses per 100 residents.

For its part, Kingston has set up a mass-vaccination space at the Invista Centre.

“In addition, the pharmacy initiative has vaccinated approximately 70 per cent of adults aged 60 to 64 years. Our vaccination strategy is proceeding very well in our area and we are on target to get vaccine into arms of everyone who wants it by the end of the summer.” Dr. Moore added last week.

As of last Thursday, April 1, 2021, the Health Unit had accounted for 56,280 first doses administered, while another 2,701 residents had received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. To date, 80 per cent of those 80 and older have received their first dose, while 70 per cent of those 60 to 64-years-old have been vaccinated the first time.

Also, the current number of vaccines administered to those outside of the KFL&A region stands at 10,933, with the total number of vaccines administered to those living within the KFL&A region standing at 45,347.

The Health Unit is also reporting 62 active cases within the KFL&A region, putting the region in the yellow zone of Ontario’s colour-coded warning system.