WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – It’s a first in a long time. Jefferson County went two days this week with zero new COVID-19 cases.
It happened on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“That is a long time coming and a lot of work, a lot of work to get there. It’s a big thing,” said Jefferson County Board of Legislators Chairman Scott Gray.
Meanwhile, CDC numbers from Thursday show Jefferson County with 90.6 percent of those 65 or older with at least one COVID shot.
In the 18+ age group, it’s 79.9 percent. For people 12 and up, it’s 76.5 percent.
In St. Lawrence County, 81.7 of those 65 and older have gotten at least one dose. It’s 60.3 percent for the group 18+, and nearly 58.6 percent for those 12 and up.
And in Lewis County, 77.8 of those in the 65+ category have received at least one shot; 18 and up, it’s 52.6 percent, and 12 and up is just under 50 percent.
While vaccination rates have slowed, Gray believes one factor that will spur more people to get shots will be the reopening of the border.
“I think the travel, if we get the Canadian border open, that will require a vaccination. There’s no question about it. It’ll require proof of vaccination, more than likely, to cross the border in either direction, whether you’re going to go to Canada or whether you’re going to come back to the United States. So, that is going to be another method to motivate people,” he said.
This week USA Today quoted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as saying that plans to fully reopen the border will be announced in the next few weeks.
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