The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has reached the 75 per cent mark for first dose COVID-19 vaccinations issued.

Canada is now ranked number one in the world for COVID-19 first dose vaccination rates.

While the country struggled at the beginning of the vaccine rollout to acquire doses due to the lack of domestic manufacturing, the government has since been able to meet demand with an increase in supply.

Dr. Lisa Barrett, an assistant professor in the department of medicine at Dalhousie that specializes in infectious disease and immunology, says while this is something to be applauded, it’s Canadians themselves that should be congratulated.

She says there is no point in having vaccines if no one will take them, so the biggest “hurray” should go to those who are getting the vaccine.

Although active cases have dipped below the 1000 mark nationwide, Dr. Barrett says we still need to be mindful of certain aspects of the pandemic, including the effectiveness of the vaccine against the Delta variant.

She says some countries in Europe are suggesting that the virus is on the move again, making it important to stay alert, as well as ensuring anyone crossing the border is getting tested.