P.E.I. remains behind on vaccinating young people

After a slow start, P.E.I. has caught up with the national average when it comes to giving third COVID-19 vaccinations, but it is struggling to get young people to line up for the jab.

The province is still a leader in getting residents fully vaccinated. With 86.1 per cent of all residents vaccinated, it is almost five percentage points ahead of the national average, and behind only Newfoundland and Labrador.

The province's record is not so strong for getting additional doses into its residents. Last month the province was behind the national average. As of March 6 the rate, at 47.2 per cent, is about one percentage point higher than the national average, but still the lowest among the Atlantic provinces.

But while the overall rate is about the same, there are significant differences in where P.E.I. is having success in getting people vaccinated and where it is falling behind.

The Island has a consistently higher vaccination rate for those over the age of 50. It's about the same for those between the ages of 30 and 50.

But for those aged 18-29 it is a lot lower, particularly for young men.

At 19.1 per cent, the rate for young Island men is 9.5 percentage points lower than the national average. For women, it is 4.8 percentage points lower.

University of Ottawa epidemiologist Raywat Deonandan said if you have to choose, it is probably better to have vaccinations skew toward your older population.

"Assuming that the elderly are more likely to socialize with other elderly, then it makes sense to offer them both protection against serious symptoms and reduced probability of transmission," Deonandan wrote in an email to CBC News.

"The younger group is more likely to socialize with other younger people, so will spread infection amongst those less likely to suffer serious consequences."

Ideally, he said, "we would be boosting everyone."

University of Toronto epidemiologist Colin Furness said it is important for people to consider that getting vaccinated is not just about protecting yourself.

"There could be a significant toll on young children, who aren't vaccinated at all, and it's clear that Omicron is better able to infect them than prior variants," said Furness.

He said both age groups are likely motivated by a feeling they need to protect themselves, and older people feel, and are, more vulnerable.