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Fewer COVID cases in people 80 and up, Tam says as vaccine programs expand

Fewer COVID cases in people 80 and up, Tam says as vaccine programs expand | iNFOnews.ca
Francesca Paceri, a registered pharmacist technician carefully fills the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine at a vaccine clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on December 15, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Canada's chief public health officer says the expansion of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout has resulted in a drop in the number of infections in people over the age of 80.

Dr. Theresa Tam says on Twitter today that the reduction in cases among older adults, along with fewer outbreaks in long term care settings, can reassure Canadians that vaccines will bring more and greater benefits in the weeks to come.

Her statement comes as several provinces are preparing to expand their immunization campaigns in the coming days.

Ontario is lowering the age of eligibility for shots from 80 to 75 on Monday, while New Brunswick is stepping up a program to vaccinate high school teachers and Quebec will start delivering jabs in pharmacies.

Despite the positive vaccine news, Tam sounded a note of caution over case counts, which are back on the rise after declining earlier this year.

She said infection rates are highest among those aged 20 to 39, who are less likely to get seriously ill but who can spread the virus, including the more transmissible variants which are gaining steam across the country.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2021

The Canadian Press

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Kathy Michaels

Kathy Michaels has been an Okanagan-based journalist for more than a decade, working for community papers along the valley and beyond.
She’s won provincial and national awards in business, news and feature writing and says that her love for telling a good story rivals only her fondness for turning a good phrase.
If you have a story that deserves to be told in a thoughtful and compassionate manner, don’t hesitate to reach out.
To reach Kathy call 250-718-0428 or email kmichaels@infonews.ca.

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