Ontario’s vaccination rate drops significantly over last seven days

When COVID-19 vaccinations became more widely available, there was an initial rush as residents scrambled frantically to get jabbed.

However, over the last few weeks, the rate at which Ontarians are getting vaccinated has slowed considerably.

As of Sunday (August 8), the seven-day average for vaccinations per day is down to 50,347, and 46,970 doses were administered that day.

Just one week prior, on August 1, the seven-day average was 81,044.

As more people become fully immunized against the virus, the rate at which residents get vaccinated is obviously going to decline.

However, this decline has been more rapid than the rate at which people are getting vaccinated—during this period, the seven-day average for daily vaccinations decreased by 38 per cent, while the percentage of Ontarians who have received one or both doses of a vaccine increased by less than five per cent respectively.

According to the latest available data, 97 per cent of those 80-years-old and older have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and 93 per cent of been fully immunized—the highest rate among all age groups.

Additionally, 94 per cent of Ontarians between the ages of 70 and 79 have had one dose, while 91 per cent have had both; 91 per cent of Ontarians between the ages of 60 and 69 have had one dose, while 85 per cent have had both; 83 per cent of Ontarians between the ages of 50 and 59 have had one dose, while 76 per cent have had both; and 80 per cent of Ontarians between the ages of 40 and 49 have had one dose, while 70.4 per cent have had both.

Those under the age of 40 represent the lowest number of vaccinated residents in the province—three-quarters of those between the ages of 30 and 39 have received one dose, and just under two-thirds (64 per cent) have received both.

Further, 72 per cent of Ontarians between the ages of 18 and 29 have received one dose and a little more than half (58 per cent) have received both.

Despite a significant gap in time between when vaccines became available to them, those between the ages of 12 and 17 are nearly on par with the age group above them—68 per cent have received one dose and 52 have received both.

Based on the numbers, it appears Ontario is reaching a plateau when it comes to vaccinations, and, barring the implementation of some sort of reward system, similar to what other Provinces have done, vaccination rates could continue to decline.