MAPLETON – Mayor Gregg Davidson opened the Nov. 9 council meeting with a pitch for township residents to get vaccinated in light of rising COVID-19 case numbers and low vaccination rates in the community.
“Mapleton has a significant rise in COVID-19 cases since last week. This is disappointing, though it was was expected to happen at some point,” he stated, noting Mapleton currently has the highest rate of active cases in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) area with 138.1 cases per 100,000 population.
“That is more than double any other municipality in the … catchment area,” said Davidson.
“Some people are pointing fingers at our Mennonite population for this current outbreak, but that is not what the facts are revealing.”
Davidson added, “We have active cases in the Community Christian School, the Maryborough Public School and the Drayton Heights School.
“An outbreak was expected in Mapleton because of our low vaccination rate.
“While Wellington County as a whole hovers around 80 per cent fully vaccinated, Mapleton is the least-vaccinated municipality in the county with under 70% fully vaccinated.”
Upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinics at the Maryborough Community Centre in Moorefield are set for Nov. 23 and Dec. 16.
Davidson continued, “So we urge all residents, not just for you, but for the health of everyone in our community, to please get your vaccine.
“This vaccine has been proven to boost your immunity and reduce the impact of COVID-19, while also helping to slow the spread to those still unable to get the vaccine and to those others that are immuno-compromised.”
The mayor urged residents to continue to follow public health protocols and wear masks inside public spaces and whenever physical distancing is not possible.
Davidson also reminded residents the township worked with public health to add a pop-up vaccination clinic in Drayton on Nov. 11 and noted other clinics are coming up at the Maryborough Community Centre on Nov. 23 from 1 to 8pm and on Dec. 16 from 9am to 12pm.
“There are also clinics throughout the county all the time if one of those days do not work for you. Thank you for cooperation and keeping Mapleton residents safe,” Davidson concluded.
