'Good decisions' lead to low COVID-19 death count in London and Middlesex
CBC
Public health measures such as masking, social distancing and business lockdowns have saved 860 lives so far in London and Middlesex, according to data presented at Thursday's health board meeting.
In a global analysis of deaths caused by COVID-19, the United States, the U.K. and Italy currently stand at 220 deaths per 100,000 people.
Middlesex London has had roughly 48 deaths per 100,000 people, Dr. Chris Mackie, the region's medical officer of health, told the board.
That's two lives saved at 172 per 100,000 people for a population of 510,000 — equating to 860 lives, he said.
Mackie credited "good decisions" by the people of London and Middlesex with respect to public health measures.
He praised the region's strong vaccination rate, where 88.3 per cent of the eligible population has received their first dose.
Mackie also cited the MLHU's "targeted universalism" approach toward protecting the community from COVID-19.
"We really do try to help the health of our entire population and also help those that are in greatest," he said.
London has also a better job than the rest of Ontario at vaccinating pregnant women. Seventy per cent of pregnant people in London have had one dose, and 61 per cent have had two doses.
According to the data, London has the lowest percentage of deaths when compared to other health unit peers in Windsor-Essex, Waterloo, Niagara and Hamilton.
Across Canada, the average death rate is 75 per hundred thousand people.
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