Most communities in Thompson, Okanagan still below B.C. vaccination rate | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Most communities in Thompson, Okanagan still below B.C. vaccination rate

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In the past month, the vaccination rate in B.C. has increased by 3.2 per cent to 86.5 per cent as of last Friday. That’s for people over the age of 12 receiving one dose.

Only two of the 21 Community Health Service Areas within the Thompson and Okanagan regions were above the average vaccination rate for the province while two matched it.

The good news is over the past four weeks, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 17, some of the areas with the lowest vaccination rates have surpassed the provincial rate with new people getting the shots.

Enderby, for example, still has the lowest vaccination rate in the region at 68% but that’s a 5% improvement.

The Central Okanagan Rural region, which had the fourth lowest rate of vaccination moved up to the fifth worst but improved the most, rising by 7% to 77%.

Armstrong/Spullumcheen and Rutland, also ranked fairly low, moved up five percentage points to 74% and 79% respectively.

At the other end of the spectrum, Kamloops Centre South continues as the most vaccinated area, moving up 5% to 90%.

Southern Okanagan, at 87%, is the only other area above the provincial average. The Kelowna neighbourhoods of Glenmore and Okanagan Mission are close to the provincial average at 86%.

READ MORE: Latest COVID vaccination data shows Interior Health lags far behind rest of B.C.

“Almost four million British Columbians have now received their first dose immunization,” B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix said last week. “That’s one of the highest levels in the world.”

Yes, it is one of the highest rates in the world but not in Canada.

Nationally, B.C. ranks in the middle of the pack when it comes to vaccinations, listed on a Health Canada website at 86.36% on Sept. 11, the latest date for which data is available.

Prince Edward Island was leading the way at 92.07% of residents 12 and older, followed by Newfoundland, Yukon, Quebec, Nova Scotia then B.C.

Alberta was the least vaccinated at 77.5%.

There are a number of different websites with world vaccination data but most tally the count for full vaccinations rather than partial vaccinations.

The Our World of Data website shows 70.2% of Canadians were fully vaccinated. That is one of the highest in a world where only 31.9 per cent of people are fully vaccinated.

On that site, Canada ranks ninth in terms of full vaccinations.

United Arab Emirates leads the way at 82.1% with Singapore at 79.8%.

Spain, Denmark, Ireland and Belgium are the only European countries that rank higher than Canada.

At the bottom of the world list are Ethiopia at 0.5 per cent and Nigeria at 0.9%.

The selection of countries listed below shows the percentage of residents fully vaccinated at:

  • 66.7% – United Kingdom
  • 65.6% – Italy
  • 64.2% – France
  • 63.2% – Germany
  • 55.3% – U.S.
  • 53.1% – Japan
  • 38.0% – Australia
  • 32.9% – New Zealand
  • 32.7% – Mexico
  • 28.1% – Russia
  • 14.8% – India

No percentage is listed for China.

READ MORE: Anti-COVID-19 vaccine protestors enter Salmon Arm schools


To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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