COVID-19 in Sudbury & districts: Your weekly update August 12, 2021

Reporting period: Thursday, August 5, 2021, to Wednesday, August 11, 2021.

August 12, 2021 — The following is a summary of how the status of COVID-19 has changed in Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ service area over the last seven days up to end of day August 11, 2021: 20 new cases were reported and 8 cases were resolved. To date, fourteen of the 20 cases had a mutation profile that is commonly associated with a COVID-19 variant of concern (VOC). There were no COVID-related deaths this week. At end of day August 11, 2021, there were 19 active cases in our service area and one active outbreak. The cases were self-isolating. There was one new  local case in hospital.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been a total of 2 206 local cases of which 2 187 are resolved, and 31 people have died in our service area. One thousand and thirteen (1 013) were confirmed or presumed to be COVID-19 variants of concern (VOC).

Trends in the past seven days

• Of the 20 new cases in our service area, eleven were a close contact of confirmed case, one was travel-related, one had no known epidemiological link and one case is currently under investigation. This means that Public Health identified how these people were exposed to COVID-19 and was able to take quick action to prevent further spread. Six cases were linked to an outbreak.
• Fifteen (15) cases reported this week reside in Manitoulin District, and five (5) cases reside in Greater Sudbury. There were no cases among residents of Sudbury District in the past 7 days.
• Between August 05 and August 11, Public Health identified 56 people as having had high-risk close contact with a case of COVID-19. This represents an average of 2.8 high-risk close contacts per local case reported in the past 7 days, compared to 7.7 high-risk close contacts per case reported last week. Public Health follows up directly and regularly with every high-risk close contact to monitor them for symptoms, ensure they are self-isolating (usually not required if fully vaccinated), and make recommendations for testing according to provincial guidance.
• The seven-day incidence rate was 10.1 new cases per 100 000 population, compared to 1.5 cases per 100 000 in the previous 7 days.
• The percent positivity was 0.75% for the period of August 04 to August 10, compared to 0.24% for the previous 7 days.
• For the period of August 04 to August 10, the effective reproductive number (Rt) was 1.36 for Northern Ontario, and 1.39 for Ontario overall.

Vaccination Program Update

NEW: Vaccination coverage rates are now being reported for the population 12+ instead of 18+.

• To date, a total of 272 415 doses of COVID-19 vaccinations have been administered to residents in Sudbury and districts. Thus far, 143 277 people have received their first dose of vaccine, and 129 138 people have been fully vaccinated (current as of 4 p.m. August 11, 2021). Note, this includes vaccines administered by Public Health, First Nation and Indigenous communities, primary care partners, and pharmacies.
• Over the last seven days up to end of day August 11, 2021, a total of 4 843 vaccine doses were administered.
• Overall, 81.6% of Sudbury and districts residents aged 12+ have received their first dose of a vaccine, compared to 81.3% for all Ontario residents aged 12+.
• Second doses have been received by 73.5% of those aged 12+ in Sudbury and districts compared to 72.5% of Ontarians of same age.
• The following is a depiction of vaccinations received by age for individuals 12+ in Sudbury and districts.

* Rates are now based on 2020 population projections from the Ministry of Finance (2018) to match provincial coverage calculations.

Stay COVID-safe

• Get ready for back-to-school shopping while staying COVID-safe! Bring a list of items you need and shop during non-peak hours to avoid the lines. While you’re out shopping for school supplies, add the COVID-19 vaccine to your shopping list.
• Planning on hosting or attending a social gathering? Do so in a COVID-safe way! Plan for an outside event and allow for 2 metres of distance between guests. You can have a wonderful time celebrating while staying COVID-safe.
• Back to school prep! Youth aged 12-17 should aim to get both doses of the COVID-19 before August 24 to be fully protected when they return to school. Learn more about clinics.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding? The COVID-19 vaccine is recommended at any stage of pregnancy including the first trimester, for those who don’t have contraindications. The good news is that the antibodies that a pregnant individual makes from the vaccine likely pass to the baby and may help keep the baby safe after birth. To help with decision-making, refer to this user-friendly COVID-19 Vaccination in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Patient Decision-Making Tool(PDF, Government of Ontario).
• As the upcoming school year approaches, student mental health and well-being are a top priority. Consider talking with your children about heading back to school. School Mental Health Ontario (smho-smso.ca)provides comprehensive mental health resources for supporting your child’s mental health during COVID-19.

What’s new

• On Tuesday, August 10, Public Health Sudbury & Districts in partnership with the City of Greater Sudbury launched a second mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinic to offer even more accessible and convenient options to receive the vaccine. For clinic schedules, visit: phsd.ca
• On Saturday, August 7, Public Health hosted the last ‘hockey-hub’ mass COVID-19 immunization clinic at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex in Greater Sudbury. Over the last several months, approximately 90 000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered at this site. We would like to thank our community, our partners, our staff, our volunteers and everyone who has rolled up their sleeves to protect one another from COVID-19.
• In preparation for back-to-school, now is the time for students and post-secondary students to be vaccinated in order to be fully immunized upon return to class. It’s not too late to get a first or second dose. Youth aged 12 to 17 and adults can attend a mobile, pop-up, or walk-in vaccine clinic to receive their first or second vaccine dose. Youth are eligible to receive their second dose if their first dose was more than 21 days ago (Pfizer-BioNTech) and adults aged 18 or older are eligible for their second dose if their first dose was more than 21 days ago (Pfizer-BioNTech) or 28 days (Moderna).

Message from Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health

As summer continues and we inch closer to the fall, now is the time to take action to limit a fourth wave. The choices we make and the COVID-safe behaviours we have adopted will help protect us against the uncertainty of rising cases. While the summer has helped provide a sense of normalcy, please continue to keep your guard up and make COVID-safe choices. Before long, students will be returning to schools and post secondary institutions. We need to count on each other to help curb the spread of the virus, including the highly transmissible variants of concerns. Now is the time to get vaccinated, whether its your first or your second dose. With students and post secondary students heading back to school, we need to get our vaccination numbers as high as possible to ensure maximum protection for all, including for those under 12 who are unable to receive the vaccine. Getting the vaccine, along with personal protective measures such as wearing a mask and practising physical distancing, remains key. A safe-return-to-school is in our hands and within our control. Let’s make it a safe and healthy school year.

Regular updates

Visit phsd.ca/COVID-19/data for regular updates about COVID-19 testing, confirmed cases, as well as outbreaks and potential exposures in Greater Sudbury, the Sudbury District, and the Manitoulin District. In addition, a detailed epidemiology summary is posted on Monday that includes information about cases over time, case characteristics, probable exposures, case outcomes, testing, and outbreaks in facilities.

For more information or if you have questions, please visit phsd.ca/COVID-19 or call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).