Just about a third of eligible residents of this province have received their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That’s according to the latest numbers from the Department of Health.

As of July 12, about 33.2 per cent of people had completed their second dose.

Health officials are encouraging residents to follow through and get their second dose, as it provides the best protection against potentially dangerous and resistant variants of the virus.

The provincial government is aiming for at least 80 per cent of residents to have their second dose by mid-September to reach Step 3 of its reopening plan.

The rate of residents getting their first dose has slowed, accounting for about 81.5 per cent of the eligible population.