COVID-19 in B.C.: New case count below 400; further details about youth vaccinations; and more

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      An overall gradual decrease in case counts in several categories has given hope that the current COVID-19 wave is heading in the right direction.

      There’s additional optimism due to reopening plans scheduled to be announced on Tuesday (May 25).

      However, we still have to get through the Victoria Day long weekend, and long weekends have often resulted in case counts in subsequent weeks.

      B.C. RCMP had announced that they will be increasing COVID-19 road checks this weekend.

      Meanwhile, a keynote speaker for a Vancouver antimask rally slated to be held on Sunday (May 23) is facing charges in Toronto.

      Reopening process

      At today's briefing, B.C. Premier John Horgan said that although the current circuit breaker is slated to end on midnight on Monday (May 24), he emphasized that everyone has to follow guidelines and restriction until details are announced on Tuesday.

      “We are not done yet,” Horgan said.

      When asked if any specific sectors, such as the food and beverage industry (which include establishments that require time to stock up on perishables), will receive advance notification to prepare for reopening, Horgan said that everyone will receive the same information at the same time.

      Henry reiterated that not everything will reopen all at once—that the reopening will be a gradual and slow process that will take place over a period of time.

      B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said that a limited update on COVID-19 cases will be provided on Monday (however, daily case counts reflect what has taken place up to two weeks before, due to the incubation period for the virus).

      B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix, with provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Premier John Horgan
      Province of British Columbia

      Vaccinations for youth

      Henry said that so far, only the Pfizer vaccine is licensed for youth aged 12 and above. (She said that trials for youth are underway for the Moderna vaccine.)

      In B.C., Henry said that 310,000 youth (12 to 17 year olds) are eligible to receive vaccines.

      When Henry was asked why vaccinations aren’t being conducted within schools, she said that they did speak with education partners and stakeholder groups but that they decided against using a solely school-based immunization program.

      One reason, she said, is that many families want to attend together, often with children of different ages and often with children of different ages and therefore from different schools.

      The second reason is that a province-wide school-based program would require a lot of resources to go into every school in a short period of time, and the program wouldn’t be able to be conducted in an equitable manner in all health authorities, especially in larger health authorities.

      She said in some communities, schools will be locations where it is easier to reach youth or in places such as in First Nations communities where second doses will be given to adults while first doses will be administered to youth.

      Meanwhile, UBC researchers are launching a registry and study about pregnant and breastfeeding individuals in Canada.

      Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding can participate, whether or not they have already received the vaccine and regardless of whether they intend to receive the vaccine or not. To participate and register, visit the study and registry website.   

      More information about research on COVID-19 and pregnancy can be found at this UBC website.

      B.C. update: May 20

      An encouraging sign is that today’s new case count, which dropped below the 400 mark, is one of the lowest new case counts since February.

      Henry said that there are 357 new cases today, which includes (by region):

      • 210 new cases in Fraser Health;
      • 80 in Vancouver Coastal Health;
      • 33 in Interior Health;
      • 22 in Northern Health;
      • 12 in Island Health;
      • no one from outside of Canada.

      Currently, there are 4,636 active cases, which is a decrease of 179 cases since yesterday.

      With a decrease of nine people in hospitals since yesterday, there are 331 hospitalized cases today, and 113 of those patients in intensive care units (five fewer patients than yesterday).

      Sadly, there are three new deaths, which brings the cumulative total number of fatalities to 1,661 people who have died of COVID-19-related causes during the pandemic.

      A cumulative total of 134,521 people have now recovered.

      B.C. has reported a cumulative total of 140,953 cases during the pandemic.

      Henry said that 2,687,360 doses have been administered in B.C.’s immunization program, which represents just over 58 percent of all eligible individuals. About three percent, or 138,908 second doses, have been given to eligible individuals.

      B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry
      Province of British Columbia

      Outbreaks and exposures

      Today, Fraser Health declared an outbreak at Chartwell Carlton Care Residence in Burnaby, where one resident and one staff member have tested positive. 

      Meanwhile, Northern Health declared the outbreak at the medical inpatient unit at Dawson Creek and District Hospital to be over. Northern Health stated that four patients and one staff tested positive, and two patients died. 

      Interior Health declared an outbreak in Orchard Haven in Keremeos, where one resident and one staff member tested positive.

      Henry said there are five active healthcare outbreaks: four in longterm care facilities and one in an acute care facility.

      No new community outbreaks were declared and none of the five regional health authorities listed any new public exposure incidents.

      The B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) added three flights to its lists of public exposures (affected row information is listed at the BCCDC website when provided):

      • May 14: WestJet Flight 3375, Calgary to Kelowna;
      • May 16: Air Canada/Jazz Flight 8184, Fort St. John to Vancouver;
      • May 16: Air Canada/Jazz Flight 8414, Vancouver to Kelowna.

      Sobeys listed Thrifty Foods (310 Edgemont Boulevard) in North Vancouver as having one staff member who tested positive and last worked on May 16.

      Loblaw stated that an employee who tested positive last worked on May 8 at the Real Canadian Superstore (14650 104th Avenue) in Surrey.

      You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at @cinecraig or on Facebook.

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