Younger residents with COVID-19 variants account for majority of new cases in York Region

'We are seeing the highest number of variant cases in our 20 to 50-year-olds, and we are seeing some hospitalizations and, very sadly, some deaths, even amongst younger people,' associate medical officer of health says

Newmarkettoday.ca
March 30, 2021
Debora Kelly

Younger residents of York Region are fuelling the spread of the variant strains of COVID-19, which now account for the majority of daily new cases in York Region, according to the associate medical officer of health.

Residents aged 20 to 50 have been infected with the variant strains that now make up 60 per cent of new cases in York Region, Dr. Fareen Karachiwalla said in an online update today.

Only one in 10 of the variant cases are found the 70+ age group, she added.

“We are seeing the highest number of variant cases in our 20 to 50-year-olds, and we are seeing some hospitalizations and, very sadly, some deaths, even amongst younger people,” Karachiwalla said.

“Vaccinating younger age groups in hotspots will help curb the spread of the variants,” she added.

While York Region Public Health is exploring targeted immunization strategies for neighbourhoods in Vaughan and Markham with the highest number of cases in the region, it will not impact the rollout of the vaccine to priority groups identified in the provincial plan.

“We are still very focused on vaccinating residents at highest risk of COVID-19 like our seniors, and moving down in five-year increments, these efforts will happen simultaneously,” Karachiwalla said.

The public health unit will continue its “aggressive efforts” to vaccinate as many residents as quickly as possible, with the goal of moving down the five-year age groups every week to 10 days, she said.

“The more people we have covered with at least one dose quickly, the better off the whole community will be.”

She urged all residents who are eligible to book their vaccine appointments, “There’s no need to delay or wait for one vaccine over another.”

With high case counts and increasing spread of variant strains, Karachiwalla urged residents to continue vigilantly abiding by public health restrictions over the upcoming holiday weekend.