December 24, 2022 coronavirus update for Oakville

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This is the coronavirus update for Oakville for Saturday, December 24, 2022. Today's update on Christmas Eve will be the last update from Halton Regional Health this year, with reporting resuming the first week of January 2023.

New cases are slightly down in Oakville this week while slightly higher in other areas of Halton. After last year's large increase, local hospitalizations are unchanged this week and one more person in Oakville has died.

One new outbreak has opened in Oakville at Wyndham Manor long-term care home, but active outbreaks in town have gone down by 25% since last Saturday.

After a one week delay in reporting, Ontario's numbers are all up this week, including active cases, hospital admissions and patients in the ICU.

Just one week before the third anniversary of the pandemic's beginning, Canada reaches 4.4 million cumulative infections of COVID-19 and the United States surpasses 100 million cases to date.

Both of those figures are confirmed cases only, and don't include the estimated tens of millions of unconfirmed cases from earlier waves of infections from earlier in pandemic, particularly over the holidays in 2020 and 2021.

Globally, cumulative confirmed cases have surpassed 650 million. More than 6.65 million people have died.

The bivalent booster vaccine is now available to those ages 5 and up. Uptick in vaccinations across the province, including locally, has been especially slow, at a pace 70% slower from fall 2021. This is true for those getting their first or second dose, or those getting booster shots (including the now available bivalent booster dose.)

**Vaccine booking: Fourth doses (second booster doses) of vaccine are now available for anyone in Halton age 12 and up, though fourth doses must be at least five months since your last dose and 90 days since having COVID-19.

Halton continues to book first and second-dose vaccinations for all residents age six months and older, plus third-dose boosters for anyone age 12 and up.

**CLICK HERE to book a first, second, third or fourth vaccination appointment at a Halton Region vaccine clinic

All differences in statistics are based on changes in amounts from the previous week.

Oakville COVID-19 Update:

  • 68 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported (10 less than last week)
  • 8 people were hospitalized (same as last week)
  • 1 new deaths (2 less than as last week)
  • 6 active outbreaks in Oakville - minus 2

Halton COVID-19 Update:

  • 220 new cases of COVID-19 (6 more than last week)
  • 13 people were hospitalized (2 less than last week)
  • 4 new deaths (same than last week)
  • 15 active outbreaks in Halton - no change

Vaccinations in Halton Region:

  • Over 1.52 million doses have been administered in Halton
  • 94% of Halton residents have at least two doses (the primary series)
  • 28% of eligible Halton residents (age 12+) are up to date on their booster shots (have had the primary series and a booster dose in the last six months)

Ontario COVID-19 Update:

  • There have been 1.53 million cases in Ontario to date
  • 15,489 deaths to date (+135 this week)
  • 1,221 people are in hospital with COVID-19 (+10 this week)
  • There are 126 people in ICU (+11 this week)

Summary of provincial vaccinations 

Canadian COVID-19 Update:

  • Canada has had 4.40 million cases of COVID-19
  • There are 479,400 active cases in Canada (+17,200 this week)
  • 5,141 people are currently in hospital (+21 this week)
  • There are 48,039 deaths to date (+353 this week)
  • 82.95% of Canadians are fully vaccinated (+0.05%)

Global COVID-19 Update:

  • U.S. cases are now at 100.21 million cases; over 1.08 million have died
  • 651.91 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the pandemic started; 6.65 million people have died

The evidence is clear: vaccination is the best way to be protected. Local, provincial, national and international health units affirm the same data that Canada's approved vaccines effectively protect you from COVID-19 and significantly reduce your risks of getting sick, going to the hospital, and dying from the disease. 

Pictured right is a graph from the Halton region showing how dramatically your risk of getting sick or being admitted to hospital is when vaccinated. 

Sources: 

**Note: Halton Regional Health has notified news organizations that COVID-19 data will not be reported next week during the holidays. COVID-19 figures will return in early January.