B.C.'s vaccination timeline now shows all adults who want to be vaccinated to be able to get their first shot by the end of June. (slide from government of B.C.)
British Columbia just got some very good news – our vaccination plan is ahead of schedule and we’re on track to have all adults who want to be vaccinated given the jab by July 1.
Just last week, provincial phone lines were overwhelmed with people trying and trying to get through to book their vaccines, but now the phone lines are working well, the program is ahead of schedule and I know a few people who’ve had their shots already.
Somehow I feel like it’s too good to be true, but for now, I’m just going to enjoy the good news. Hopefully it lasts.
The reasons we’re ahead include that more vaccine supply is now expected, including more than 300,000 doses of the fridge-stable AstraZeneca vaccine. Several European countries have halted the use of this vaccine over blood-clot concerns, but Canada insists it is safe and that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Front line workers will be able to jump the age-based queue for vaccinations, starting right now. Eligible job categories include first responders like police and firefighters, K-12 educational staff, child care staff, grocery store workers, postal workers and others who cannot work from home and who work in industries that have seen outbreaks or clusters of cases.
B.C. Premier John Horgan said the pandemic has been challenging for these workers.
“Many of these people have come to work throughout this pandemic, continuing to teach and care for our children, stock the shelves of our local grocery store and keep our communities safe,” Horgan said. “They are the true heroes.”
Our case counts are still bouncing between 500 and 600 a day and nearly 300 people are in hospital. The variant cases are growing with 1,132 variant cases identified in B.C. so far. Hopefully the vaccination effort will reduce those numbers soon.
Some of the vaccinations will be done by pharmacists, while others will be done at clinics. Front-line workers should not call in to existing phone appointment booking lines – specific instructions will be given to each sector.
Timelines have been adjusted, with people aged 60 to 79 and those who are considered “extremely vulnerable” being eligible for vaccination in April or early May, those who are 45 to 59 being vaccinated in May and those who are 18 to 44 being vaccinated in June. Of course, this is all subject to the continuous supply of vaccine, which has proven to be a bit unreliable in the past two months.
Let’s hope everything pans out. Meanwhile, here is the other news from this week:
- B.C. jumped a week ahead of its vaccine schedule, allowing people older than age 80 to get vaccinated sooner than expected.
- Despite several European countries halting the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to concerns over blood clots, Canada’s National Advisory Council on Vaccines approved its use on those older than 65, CBC reports. Canada’s top doctor Theresa Tam said there is no evidence the vaccine has any link with these adverse effects.
- After more than 2,077 letters containing COVID-19 exposure notices or requests to self-isolate sent to students and staff in Surrey schools, that district’s superintendent Jordan Tinney is planning ramped up measures when schools return from Spring Break.
- B.C. Teachers’ Federation President Teri Mooring said she is hugely relieved that teachers will be prioritized for the vaccination. “It has taken tens of thousands of education workers working in tough and stressful conditions to keep schools open, students learning, and parents working,” she said. “I hope the news about vaccine prioritization will help ease anxiety and finally keep you all safe.”
- In B.C., Dr. Bonnie Henry is telling us to take whichever vaccine we are offered first, but in Alberta, people have a choice, the Vancouver Sun reports.
- Regular booster shots against COVID-19 variants will be needed, Reuters reports.
- Ontario has entered a third wave of COVID-19 and the more transmissible variants are driving the growth, the Canadian Press reports. A third wave is also hitting much of Europe, the New York Times reports.
- Canada’s real estate market is going gangbusters, despite the economic instability caused by the pandemic. Check out a graph here. Mortgage debt is growing, as a result of historically low interest rates.
- Moderna has begun testing its vaccine on children, the New York Times reports.
Next week will be spring. We know warmer weather leads to less spread of COVID-19. Combine that with the vaccine and we've got reason to be very positive. Let's hope that's not misplaced optimism.
- An outbreak at a long-term care home in Kelowna, B.C. has infected 23 people, including eight who had at least one dose of vaccine, the Globe and Mail reports.
- The United States is going to loan Canada and Mexico more than one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine since it has not yet been approved for use in the U.S., the New York Times reports.
It's still a mad race between the variants and the vaccine. Maybe next week one will pull ahead. Let's hope it's the vaccine.
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