COVID case counts up in in South, Central Frontenac, as vaccination rates mount

Jeff Green | Mar 31, 2021

COVID outbreaks at Queen’s University in Kingston and at Land O’Lakes Elementary School in Mountain Grove caused concerns in recent weeks, they seem to be resolving without resulting in significant community transmission, if any.

The 5 cases associated with the Land O’Lakes are all listed as resolved on the Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health (KFLAPH) COVID dashboard.

Other cases have been creeping up, however.

In the week between March 22 and March 29, 6 new cases were confirmed among South Frontenac residents and 3 among Central Frontenac residents. At the same time, there were 24 new cases in Kingston.

When population density is considered, however, the levels in the rural townships gain a bit of context.

The 3 Central Frontenac cases, on a cases per population of 100,000, translate to almost 70 per 100,000, well into the Red zone. The 6 cases in South Frontenac, translates to 32 cases, in the orange zone. The 24 Kingston cases, on the other hand, represent only about 11 per 100,000, barely in the yellow zone.

(Ed note - These numbers can be misleading because with smaller sample sizes drawing statistical conclusions is less reliable.)

At the same time, thanks to multiple vaccination streams, the percentage of KFL&A residents who have been vaccinated is increasing.

As of March 29, 76.7% of the over 80-year old population in KFL&A had received at least 1 dose, as had 25% of those who are between 75 and 79, and 16.7% of residents aged between 70 and 74.

The impact of the pharmacy pilot project has been felt as well. 68.8% of those between 60 and 64 had received one dose, as had an even 25% of those between 65 and 69 (the Astrazeneca vaccine, used in the pilot, was re-classified for use in the over 65 population a week into the 3 - week project).

The single dose vaccination rates for everyone in the region who is between 16 and 59 ranges from 10% to 13% by age group. The recipients of these vaccines are mostly essential health care workers and people with compromised immune systems.

Over the “eligible population”, people 16 and over, 22.7% of KFL&A residents had received at least one dose of vaccine and 1.4% had received 2 doses by Monday.

That percentage compared favourably with Ontario and Canada, which were at 14.5% and 15% respectively.

Over 41,000 KFL&A residents had received at least one dose, and the average number of vaccinations per day over the previous week was about 1,500, down from over 2,000 the week before.

The pharmacy vaccination pilot project ends this week, and there have been no updates as to when new vaccines will arrive at pharmacies. Ontario announced on Monday, that the Astrazeneca vaccine, which is the one that has been used in pharmacies thus far, will only be used on people over 55 for the time being.

Dr. Moore of Public Health, indicated last week that the region will be receiving 5,000 Pfizer doses per week, for the upcoming next four weeks, in addition to a still undetermined amount of Moderna vaccines.