“We want to build community immunity,”: BC Health Minister on mass vaccination efforts

In order for health restrictions to be eased, the number of infections and hospitalizations related to COVID-19 needs to come down in BC.

That’s according to Health Minister Adrian Dix.

On Thursday and Friday, the province saw its highest number of infections recorded in a single day this year, with much of those centered around variants of concern.

Dix told Vista Radio we won’t be able to enjoy some sense of normalcy until we see an across-the-board decline.

“What we are seeing everywhere is case counts that are too high, test positivity rates that are too high, hospitalizations are too high and that is true in places like Prince George.”

Over 300,000 front-line workers, including first responders and grocery store workers, will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations starting next month.

In the next few weeks, people in the following priority groups will start to receive their first dose of the AstraZeneca/SII COVISHIELD vaccine:

• First responders (police, firefighters, emergency transport);
• K-12 educational staff
• Child care staff
• Grocery store workers
• Postal workers
• Bylaw and quarantine officers
• Manufacturing workers
• Wholesale/warehousing employees – staff living in congregate housing at places such as ski hills, correctional facilities staff, and cross-border transport staff.
• Sectors or settings prioritized due to outbreak response (currently happening)

“It’s not just industrial camps, it’s a whole bunch of people in food production and food processing, which are very important and now we have announced a number of groups of workers and those who are ranked by public health to help prevent transmission,” added Dix.

The Health Minister is of the opinion BC’s accelerated vaccination program is the key to avoiding a third wave of the pandemic.

With the age-based system slowly bumped up by health authorities, Dix noted the province is in a race against the clock to curb transmission.

“We want to build towards community immunity as there are 4.2 million British Columbians who are eligible to get the vaccine and we need to reduce transmission now in order to keep people safe.”

Northern Health extended eligibility to ten of its rural communities for residents 18 and up.

Vaccine appointment bookings for places like Chetwynd and Fort Saint James began yesterday (Saturday).

However, a glimmer of hope remains for high school graduates in the north and across the province who may be able to enjoy in-person graduation this year.

Last year, these types of ceremonies were held virtually for high school and post-secondary students due to the gathering restrictions in place.

Dix is hopeful amendments can be made as the event draws closer.

“We are hopeful that there will be some possibility to do something not quite the same as in years past but something a little more special by June. By then, we will have immunized a significantly higher portion of people in the province but we are not there yet. We are hoping that there will be some greater opportunity for students to celebrate their graduation.”

Earlier this month, UNBC announced it’s hosting a virtual convocation ceremony for the second straight year.