VICTORIA – Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the COVID-19 response in British Columbia:

“Today, we are reporting 799 new cases, for a total of 127,048 cases in British Columbia.

“There are 8,089 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, with 11,792 people under public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. A further 117,150 people who tested positive have recovered.

“Of the active cases, 500 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 164 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation.

“Since we last reported, we have had 121 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 534 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 28 in the Island Health region, 96 in the Interior Health region, 16 in the Northern Health region and four new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.

“There have been no new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,571 deaths in British Columbia. Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19.

“1,671,128 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 89,457 of which are second doses.

“The first step for everyone is to register for their vaccine. Everyone in B.C. who is 18 years and older is now eligible to do so on the Get Vaccinated website.

“In our age-based program, anyone 59 and older can now take the next step of booking their appointment. We encourage you to do that right away. Our worker program continues with targeted clinics underway. This program will be further expanded as significantly more vaccine starts to arrive in our province next week.

“Health authorities are also using the available vaccine supply to target 'hot spot' communities that have been hardest hit by COVID-19 with dedicated clinics in many locations.

“Our limited AstraZeneca supply is being used in some of these 'hot spots,' as well as for our provincewide pharmacy program. Starting today, the AstraZeneca vaccine will be available to anyone 30 and older, starting with some of the ‘hot spot’ community clinics. As we receive enough AstraZeneca to add appointments at pharmacies, it will be made available to anyone in the province aged 30 and older. 

“We know demand for the AstraZeneca vaccine is high in many areas. Unfortunately, available supply through pharmacies in some regions will continue to be limited until additional supplies come in.

“Whether you had your vaccine last month, or are booked for the days ahead, we remind everyone to continue to use all of your layers of protection, to stay small and stay local until we have COVID-19 where we want and need it to be.”

Learn More:

For more information about current COVID-19 travel restrictions, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/travel/current

Provincial health officer's orders and guidance:

Orders: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/about-bc-s-health-care-system/office-of-the-provincial-health-officer/current-health-topics/covid-19-novel-coronavirus

Guidance on restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/restrictions

The latest vaccine information:

For vaccine information, visit the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) dashboard: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data Or: www.bccdc.ca

The latest updates, guidance and information on COVID-19, and where to get tested:

The latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and to find a testing centre near you: http://www.bccdc.ca/
Or follow @CDCofBC on Twitter.

For data regarding ongoing outbreaks in long-term care, assisted-living and independent-living facilities in B.C., visit: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data#outbreak

Mental health support:

Mental health and anxiety support: www.bouncebackbc.ca 
Or: www.anxietycanada.com
Or: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/mental-well-being-during-covid-19
Or: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/virtual-supports-covid-19

Non-health related information:

Financial, child care and education support, travel, transportation and essential service information: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
Or call 1 888 COVID19 (1 888 268-4319) between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week.

COVID-19 exposure events, updates and information by health authority:

BCCDC (flights, work sites, etc.): http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures
Fraser Health: fraserhealth.ca/covid19exposure
Interior Health: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/public-exposures/
Island Health: https://www.islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/covid-19/outbreaks-and-exposures
Northern Health: https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-topics/outbreaks-and-exposures
Vancouver Coastal Health: http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/public-exposures

For the latest videos and livestreaming of COVID-19 media availabilities, visit:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCGovNews
YouTube: https://youtube.com/ProvinceofBC

Two backgrounders follow.

Age-based program

Anyone 18 years or older may now register through the Get Vaccinated online system.

Appointments are now being made for people 59 and older, Indigenous people 18 and older, as well as people who have received a letter indicating they are clinically vulnerable.

First responder and worker program

Health authorities are contacting workplaces to arrange for workers to be vaccinated. This program continues to be phased in, focusing on communities that are at highest risk.

AstraZeneca pharmacy program

In addition to the age-based and worker programs, vaccinations are expanding for people aged 30 and up who are now also eligible to receive their AstraZeneca vaccine at participating pharmacies, with supply. This is being done after a careful review of the evidence that initially led to a pause in the expanded AstraZeneca vaccine program for younger workers.

Participating pharmacies are listed on the BC Pharmacy Association website: https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/resource-centre/covid-19/vaccination-locations

High-transmission communities

In addition, specific AstraZeneca vaccine clinics will be established in the 16 communities with the highest identified in-community transmission. People 30 and older who reside in those communities will be able to get vaccinated there. For a complete list of the 16 communities, as well as information to assist in determining if you reside in one of these communities, go to: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/neighbourhood

Anyone 30 and older in the following community health service areas can also be vaccinated at several specific clinics that are being set up. The service areas include:

• Brittania Beach
• D'arcy
• Dawson Creek
• East Newton
• Fleetwood
• Kensington
• North Delta
• North Surrey
• Panorama
• Pinecrest Estates
• Port Coquitlam
• South Langley Township
• Squamish
• Whalley
• West Abbotsford
• West Newton

People living in these communities must register for their vaccine appointments using the Province’s Get Vaccinated registration and booking tool and will be invited to book an appointment on the same day they register. The fastest way to register and book is online:https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register

People can confirm whether they live in a high-transmission neighbourhood prioritized for immunization by entering their postal code: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/neighbourhood

Only those with eligible postal codes will be able to receive a vaccine through the high-transmission neighbourhood program.

Assisted-living, long-term care homes, seniors’ rental buildings:

Vancouver Coastal Health – no facilities

Fraser Health – two facilities

• Dufferin Care Centre (second occurrence)
• Sunset Manor (third occurrence)

Northern Health – one facility

• Acropolis Manor (second occurrence)

Interior Health – three facilities

• Cottonwoods Care Centre
• Orchard Haven
• Sandalwood Retirement Resort

Island Health – two facilities

• Craigdarroch Care Home
• Mount St. Mary

Acute-care facilities:

• Abbotsford Regional Hospital
• Dawson Creek and District Hospital
• Nanaimo Regional General Hospital
• Prince Rupert Regional Hospital
• Surrey Memorial Hospital
• Vancouver General Hospital
• UBC Hospital