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By Teagan Rasche

Second-lowest in province

Low COVID-19 vaccination rates an ongoing risk for County of 40 Mile

Oct 28, 2021 | 3:53 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Alberta Health Services warns the County of 40 Mile’s low COVID-19 vaccination rate is an ongoing risk.

Only 33.7 per cent of people are fully vaccinated in the county, compared to 66 percent in Medicine Hat. But the lead medical heath officer in the South Zone, Dr. Vivian Suttorp, says it’s important to look at populations.

For the County of 40 Mile, that’s only 2,779 unvaccinated people but in the Hat where the rates are higher, it’s still over 14,000 people who are unvaccinated.

Because of these stats, Suttorp says people 20-39 years old are not benefiting from herd immunity and these communities are at ongoing risk.

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“The big risk is in communities where there are low immunization rates, that community may be a geographic community, it may be a school community, a private school community, church community, workplace,” Suttorp said. “If there are low immunization rates there is increased risk of ongoing transmission within those locations.”

Suttorp says AHS has taken many steps to ensure vaccine accessibility, including offering them in schools in pharmacies.