COVID-19: B.C. touts 325,000 vaccine doses administered per week, cases steady

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – B.C.’s top doctor is pointing to the latest modelling of the COVID-19 third wave in this province as proof vaccinations have been effective at saving lives.

On Thursday, Dr. Bonnie Henry noted the number of people who have died of the illness in recent months has remained relatively low.

“Starting in the middle of April, we had a dramatic drop in cases overall. And shortly thereafter, we started to see a decrease in hospitalizations that continues,” she said.

“One of the things that we note on this, and it reflects again the power of the immunization programs that we have, is that deaths have remained low throughout the third wave, despite having the highest number of people infected in the whole of our pandemic here in B.C.” she said.

She says that success is largely because B.C. prioritized seniors and those in long-term care for COVID-19 vaccinations.

In the past day, 73,345 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C, 53,298 of which were second doses. The latter figure is a record.

The province says clinics and pharmacies are collectively administering about 325,000 doses every week.

In total, 3,823,103 doses have been given out since the vaccination campaign began. Of those, 443,562 are second doses.

Just under three quarters of adults in B.C. have been vaccinated, with 74.9 per cent aged 18 and up having received at least one dose.

Among British Columbians aged 12 and up, 72.8 per cent have received their first dose.

Henry is urging everyone to get both doses as soon as they can.

“The vaccines that we have here in Canada are safe and effective. One of the major side effects that they have is hope, optimism, and a brighter future ahead,” she said.

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B.C. has recorded 153 infections recorded in the past day.

Four more people have died of the illness, for a total of 1,729 since the pandemic began.

There are 176 people hospitalized with the illness, down from 195 on Wednesday. Of those patients, 49 are in the ICU, up from 47 on Wednesday.

Henry says data shows no school-aged children have died in B.C. between Sept. 7, 2020 and June 7, 2021.

However, two children under the age of two have died over the course of the pandemic.

Re: variants of concern, Henry says most prevalent remains strain first identified in #UK (54%).
P1 strain first identified in #Brazil is second (42%) and Delta strain first identified in #India is 3rd (4%). #bcpoli @NEWS1130

— Marcella Bernardo (@MBernardoNews) June 10, 2021

On June 15, B.C. is expected to move into the second step of its plan to gradually get things back to relative normal in this province.

“We’re bridging from a time of orders and restrictions to a time when we can safely, spend time with others once again. As we look to next week and next month, we will keep progressing through this phase. Step two is coming up. And so far, the data that we have is supporting that we can go there,” Henry said Thursday.

“For 16 months. It has been our individual and collective efforts to use our layers of protection to follow all of our public health orders. And now, it’s also to get fully immunized, with your first and second dose of COVID-19 vaccine that is making all the difference.”

On Monday, we find out what Phase 2 restart will look like.
Henry will be joined by Premier John Horgan for that news conference, but based on today’s models, June 15th target is still on track. #bcpoli @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/oJyEVBdTey

— Marcella Bernardo (@Bernardo1130) June 10, 2021