Mayor Darrin Canniff, Dr. David Colby and CAO Don Shropshire during a Facebook live stream on March 24, 2020 (Screengrab via Municipality of Chatham-Kent Facebook)Mayor Darrin Canniff, Dr. David Colby and CAO Don Shropshire during a Facebook live stream on March 24, 2020 (Screengrab via Municipality of Chatham-Kent Facebook)
Chatham

No Omicron variant in CK amid rising COVID-19 cases

Chatham-Kent has hit a sombre milestone in the pandemic by reaching more than 3,000 accumulated cases of COVID-19.

The local health unit is reporting 3,012 total cases of the virus since the pandemic began and 100 active cases as of Thursday.

Chatham-Kent Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Colby said he's worried about the rising cases after 17 new cases were reported on Thursday and added the jump in cases is not linked to any specific factor.

Colby also said he's not sure if the recent rise in cases is due to the decreasing power of the vaccine as time passes. In Chatham-Kent, he said, 16 per cent of the COVID-19 cases are in vaccinated people. He added that more cases are being found in younger people and that's why it's so important to get everyone vaccinated as soon as possible.

Colby said he is looking at further public safety restrictions if necessary and will be keeping a close eye on the rising cases as the Christmas holidays approach and people move indoors and forget the basics to keep safe.

"I'm looking for specific issues I can address and I also have the door open to general issues. Many health units have rolled back to a Stage 3 [of the Reopening Ontario Act], said Colby. "I'm worried about the trajectory because we really have to make sure that our hospital is not overloaded and congested to the point where people can't get timely care. In many respects that trumps all other considerations. We've all got to do better."

There are seven COVID-19 outbreaks in Chatham-Kent with a total of 31 cases and Colby said they're all under control.

Colby also reported the child vaccination clinic at the Bradley Centre in Chatham has gone very well this week with 626 children between the ages of five and eleven vaccinated between Saturday and Tuesday. Although he admitted that the clinic is not as busy out of the gate as he first expected. There are 7,855 local children 5-11 eligible for the vaccine, according to Colby.

Dr. Colby said the second doses for children will be given eight weeks apart, most likely at pop-up clinics across the municipality to make it more convenient for the public, adding the clinic at the Bradley Centre will stay open as long as it's required.

Colby also said the high risk Omicron variant of the virus has not shown up in Chatham-Kent yet, but the province is doing extensive screening of positive cases and he will be notified as soon as it appears in the municipality.

He added his vaccination team is ready to handle the extra volume of booster shots. The province announced Thursday afternoon that boosters will be expanded to those aged 50 and older, a change from those 70 plus. Colby expects boosters to be given twice a year as long as the pandemic hangs around and won't be needed after the end of the pandemic.

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