Remarks from the Chief Public Health Officer on June 11, 2021

Remarks from the Chief Public Health Officer on COVID-19, June 11, 2021

June 11, 2021 | Ottawa, ON | Public Health Agency of Canada

Nationally, we continue to make good progress with all 7-day rolling averages steadily declining. The average national case count has dropped more than 80% since the peak of the third wave to under 1,550 cases reported daily. Likewise, the average number of people with COVID-19 being treated in our hospitals each day has dropped almost 60% since the peak to less than 1,850 daily. Of these, on average, less than 800 were being treated in intensive care units, which is down more than 45% from the peak, and average daily deaths are down 40% to 31 deaths being reported daily.

As of today, over 27.7 million doses have been administered across Canada, with over 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines given in the past week! As of June 4th, 70% of the eligible population, aged 12 years or older, have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 9% have received two doses. Notably, Indigenous communities and the Territories continue to have some of the highest vaccination coverage rates in the country. For example, as of June 7th, over 72% of people 12 years or over, living on-reserve have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. In the Territories, 71% of the population 12 years or older have received at least one dose and 60% are fully vaccinated!

As Canada steps into the vaccination fast lane, there is a lot for us to take pride in. In particular, despite the long difficult haul of this pandemic, Canadians have continued to show kindness and creativity in supporting others, including building vaccine confidence. Twenty finalists announced earlier this week, as part of the Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge, exemplify the many community-based initiatives that are doing this great work.

The 'Challenge' called for innovative, community-driven proposals to help strengthen COVID-19 vaccine confidence in Canada and reinforce public health measures. Specifically, these projects encourage individuals and organizations to extend the reach to community members using different languages and culturally appropriate ways to convey the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. One example of a finalist is an Indigenous community project that will use humour to reach its tight knit, semi-remote community. The finalists will each receive a grant to develop and implement their unique campaign initiatives in communities across Canada.

Let's keep working together, steady on the path to get back to the things we miss, safer and sooner!

Read my backgrounder to access COVID-19 Information and Resources, including information on vaccination and ways to reduce your risk of infection and spreading the virus to others.

Contacts

Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983
hc.media.sc@canada.ca