Download the 2021 Community Report (PDF, 21 pages)
From Dr. Nicola Mercer, Medical Officer of Health and CEO
A year ago, we were in the early months of the largest vaccination program our region – and the world – had ever seen. Today, while the COVID-19 pandemic is without a doubt still with us for the foreseeable future, record vaccination rates and access to treatment have pushed us into a different phase of our response. As Medical Officer of Health and CEO of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health, I am pleased to share the 2021 Community Report which details our region’s response to this generational public health challenge.
The report details the significant progress we have made as a region. Truly, it is impossible to overstate the size and scope of our shared efforts to protect one another. As the sixth wave of COVID-19 ebbs and we look forward with hope for a better summer, it is right that we use this moment to reflect on all that we have accomplished together. But, as I look forward to the next several years, I believe we must do so humbly, acknowledging how much is left to do.
We cannot forget the lessons of this pandemic, or we risk being unprepared for future ones. We must undergird our society in a way that firmly protects our collective health – especially the most vulnerable among us. We must think about our lived environments and how we can make them safer and more resilient against these threats. We must address the climate change challenges that will put added pressure on our health and our health systems. We must elevate trusted voices and incorporate the best information available to us and act on it swiftly.
As we look back to the key accomplishments of 2021, I am proud of the work detailed in this report. As we look forward, I am confident in and committed to the public health work yet to come.