COVID cases increase in children 12 and younger due to ‘unvaccinated parents’: York’s top doctor

York Region’s Medical Officer of Health says most new COVID-19 cases in the public health unit are in those who are unvaccinated, including a significant increase in children under 12 who can’t get the vaccine.

Dr. Karim Kurji says some of them are being infected at home from families who have not yet received a vaccine.

“We are seeing a resurgence of these COVID-19 cases in York Region with our case counts in recent days very similar to those we were experiencing at the peak of the first wave of the pandemic,” Kurji told 680 NEWS in an interview on Monday.

“We are expecting this increase will continue into the fall.”

Ontario is reporting 325 new cases of COVID-19 and no additional deaths on Monday.

Cases were up from 168 on Monday last week, and the province has now seen more than 300 new infections for four straight days. Locally, there are 90 new cases in Toronto, 47 in Peel Region, 29 in York Region, 29 in Hamilton and 26 in Windsor-Essex.

Ontario’s latest vaccination data shows that younger age groups, such as those 12-and-older and older people aged 18 to 29, lag compared to older demographics.

Kurji says independent modelling shows that these infections are going to increase.

“Children, youth and young adults are being disproportionately impacted with 63 per cent of cases in the past week being under the age of 29,” he says. “A majority of these cases are in unvaccinated individuals.”

Health Canada has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for those 12 years of age and older.

While 68 per cent of children aged 12-and-up have received at least one dose, only 52 per cent are fully vaccinated; that’s behind those in the 18-29 age group (as of Monday, 58 per cent are entirely protected against the virus).

Daily number of people fully vaccinated (all ages in the past 30 days)

 

Total doses administered (daily 7-day average)

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Parents and experts have said they want clearer guidance about how kids under 12 who aren’t eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations fit into Ontario’s reopening plan. Research indicates young kids aren’t as likely to become severely ill from COVID-19 but experts note that those statistically rare outcomes will be seen more frequently with restrictions rolled back.

“Forty-four of our 238 cases reviewed recently were among children younger than 12 who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated,” Kurji continued. “Many of them having acquired through household contacts and unvaccinated adults.”

Kurji says they’re seeing more unvaccinated younger people in their 40s being admitted to intensive care units.

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Ontario marked three weeks on Friday since entering the third step of its pandemic reopening plan, but it has yet to hit the vaccination targets set for restrictions to roll back further. Public health officials across Ontario have also been urging residents to get vaccinated, particularly in light of the more infections Delta variant of COVID-19 that’s become dominant in the province.

The province previously progressed through earlier phases of its reopening within 21 days. Still, the government has established three firm thresholds that must be met before nearly all public health measures drop away.

Health units across the province are now getting creative, with vaccine clinics at farmers’ markets, fire halls and beaches in addition to mobile teams and traditional sites as they try to boost immunization rates.

“Residents and visitors aged 12 years and older are encouraged to add getting their COVID-19 vaccines to their summer to-do list,” the Simcoe-Muskoka health unit said as it urged individuals to get their shots.

This also comes after the Ford government released details on its back-to-school plan. Elementary and high schools will reopen with classes five days a week; however, cohorts will remain for elementary students, who will be in one cohort for the entire day.

Dr. Kieran Moore, chief medical officer of health for Ontario, has said infections would likely increase in the fall when people move indoors and return to classes.

The Ontario Hospital Association also warned this week of a looming fourth wave of infections among unvaccinated people after a steady increase in the number of intensive care COVID patients.

“We cannot stress enough how important it is to get vaccinated,” Kurji says. “…We really need to think of each other and communities as a whole, including those who can’t yet get vaccinated like our children, to get through this.”

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With files from 680 NEWS reporter Irene Preklet and The Canadian Press