Public Health Sudbury and District is warning the "more transmissible and dangerous" Delta variant is now the dominant form of the COVID-19-causing coronavirus in its area.
The health unit notes 70% of its COVID-19 cases since July 1st have had this variant, which spreads more easily and is associated with higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admission, and death compared to the previously-dominant Alpha variant.
While it assures vaccines are effective against Delta, it warns there's evidence of "reduced protection against symptomatic disease" after just one dose, emphasizing that "two-dose vaccine coverage is important for everyone", and - given how infectious Delta is - vaccination rates need to be as high as possible to protect against community spread.
As of Friday, 79.8% of residents 12 and older in the health unit's region have received one dose, and 66.3% are fully vaccinated, though the health unit's aiming for 90% fully vaccinated.