What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for March 8
THE LATEST:
Phone lines open Monday morning for some seniors to book vaccination appointments.
A new Angus Reid poll suggests a drop in vaccine hesitancy among Canadians.
Friday's update included 634 new cases and four more deaths.
As of Friday, there are 255 people in hospital with COVID-19, including 66 in intensive care.
To date, 1,380 people in B.C. have lost their lives to COVID-19.
There are currently 4,901 active cases of coronavirus in the province.
250 cases of variants of concern have been identified.
So far, 311,208 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C., with 86,865 of those being second doses.
Starting at 7 a.m., seniors born in 1931 or earlier (aged 90 and above) or Indigenous seniors born in 1956 or earlier (aged 65 and above) will be able to call to book a vaccination appointment.
It's the beginning of a process to vaccinate seniors not living in care homes across B.C. and the latest step forward in the province's overall vaccination plan.
Seniors are being asked to call their local health authority starting this week and in future weeks based on their age or certain exemptions.
Vaccine hesitancy poll
A new survey conducted by the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians are more willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine immediately rather than take a "wait-and-see" approach.
Those who responded to the poll also said they were less concerned about contracting COVID-19 than they were in the fall and earlier this winter, hinting at a spark of optimism about the pandemic.
Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, says the results offer both comfort and concern for public health officials, especially in places like B.C. where the daily number of COVID-19 cases has been rising in the past two weeks.
Kelowna General Hospital outbreak
On Saturday, a COVID-19 outbreak was declared in one unit of Kelowna General Hospital after a staff member and patient tested positive for the virus.
The outbreak affects unit 5B at the hospital and there is no evidence the virus has transmitted to other areas.
Outbreak control measures are in place and the hospital remains safe to visit for appointments and emergency care, the health authority added.
On Sunday the authority announced that a different outbreak at the hospital that infected six patients and one staff member was over. Two deaths were linked to the outbreak on unit 4B.
It also said on Sunday that two staff members and 10 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in a new outbreak at Cottonwoods Care Centre in Kelowna.
Case breakdown
On Friday, health officials announced 634 new cases of COVID-19 as Health Canada approved a fourth COVID-19 vaccine for use in Canada.
The latest update marked the highest one-day total for cases in B.C. since Jan. 7, and the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 is now higher than it's been in a month.
Friday's update also included four more deaths, and four more confirmed cases of more transmissible variants of concern, bringing the province's total to 250.
Public health has not been able to identify the source of transmission for about 25 per cent of those cases.
As of Friday, a total of 255 people were in hospital with the disease, including 66 in intensive care, out of 4,901 active cases.
To date, 1,380 people have died of COVID-19, out of 83,107 confirmed cases.
Since the province's vaccination program began in late 2020, 311,208 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, including 86,865 second doses
On Monday, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, will update COVID-19 numbers at 3 p.m. PT from Victoria.
CBC British Columbia is hosting a town hall on March 10 to put your COVID-19 vaccine questions to expert guests, including Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
You can find the details at cbc.ca/ourshot. Have a question about the vaccine, or the rollout plan in B.C.? Email us: bcasks@cbc.ca
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What's happening elsewhere in Canada
As of 4 p.m. PT Saturday, Canada had reported 884,086 cases of COVID-19, with 29,977 cases considered active.
A total of 22,213 people have died.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
Fever.
Cough.
Tiredness.
Shortness of breath.
Loss of taste or smell.
Headache.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they're mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.
What can I do to protect myself?
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
Keep at least two metres away from people outside your bubble. Keep your distance from people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Wear a mask in indoor public spaces.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.
