More than two-thirds of those eligible have now had two doses

Another 1,000 or so residents received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine over the past week while nearly 6,000 more received their second dose, Peterborough Public Health reported Wednesday.

More than two-thirds of local residents who are eligible have now had their second dose as the race continues to get enough people vaccinated in Peterborough city and county, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation to try to stave off a potential fourth wave of cases fuelled by the variant strains.

The number of eligible local residents who not even had a first dose yet had been pegged at about 15,000 a week ago.

The percentage of people 18 and older who have received a first dose rose to 79.6 per cent from 70 per cent a week ago, while the percentage with two doses has hit 69.3 per cent, up from 69.3 per cent a week ago.

With the start of school, likely with in-class learning, looming less than six weeks away, the percentage of children 12 to 17 with one dose has increased to 68.3 per cent from 65.5 per cent a week ago while those with two doses leaped to 43 per cent from 25.8 per cent a week ago.

Students who want to be doubled dosed for the start of the school year need to get their first shot by Monday.

All told, the percentage of local residents eligible for the vaccine who have had a first dose is now 78.9 per cent, up from 78.1 per cent a week ago, while those with both doses is now 67.7 per cent.

For the total population, including those under 12 and those medically unable to be vaccinated, 69.6 per cent have now had a first dose and 60 per cent have had two doses, the health unit reported.

The total number of doses administered locally has topped the 200,000 mark. There have been 200,092 doses administered at Peterborough city and county clinics as of Wednesday.

The 20 to 29 age group continues to have the lowest rate of first doses.

2 new cases but active cases hold steady

Two new COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday by Peterborough Public Health but two cases were also resolved, leaving the number of active cases holding steady at five.

There were no new deaths, hospitalizations or outbreaks reported by the health unit.

5 new cases in the City of Kawartha Lakes

Five new COVID-19 cases in the City of Kawartha Lakes were reported Wednesday by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit, including a new hospitalized case.

The jurisdiction now has 25 active case: 20 in the City of Kawartha Lakes, three in Northumberland County and two in Haliburton County.