Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
May 27, 2021 - 2:47 PM
Health officials in B.C. have launched a new drive to get more second vaccines into arms.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry made that announcement at a news briefing today, May 27.
Older residents (over 70) and those who have been identified as extremely medically vulnerable will be notified as early as today that they can register for their second dose, which could be administered in a matter of days.
“I anticipate that everyone will be able to have their second dose by the end for the summer,” Dr. Henry said, noting that will be just in time for the return to normal in places like university.
Faith-based services can now be held indoors with up to 50 people, as long as there are approved safety plans in place. This does not include weddings.
Details will be announced next week on ways that overnight camps for children will be allowed this summer.
More than three million vaccines have been administered in B.C. but only 156,730 are second doses. There are now 65.8 per cent of adults over 18 who are vaccinated and 62 per cent of those over the age of 12.
People are urged to register at the Get Vaccinated website in order to get their notifications to have their second vaccine doses delivered electronically. Otherwise, letters will have to be mailed out so it will take longer to get the second dose.
The increased supply of vaccines means the time between doses has been moved up to eight weeks from 16.
Second doses are being administered in long-term care homes already and all residents should be vaccinated within the next few days, Dr. Henry said.
Vaccinations for rural, remote and First Nations communities have also started.
Most people will receive a second dose with the same vaccine as their first dose but, at times, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines can be interchangeable as second doses.
For those who got the AstraZeneca vaccine, more doses are coming to provide a second dose, Dr. Henry said.
Dr. Henry announced that there were 378 new COVID-19 cases recorded over the past 24 hours in B.C., up from 250 yesterday.
Of those, 68 were in the Interior Health region, up from 40 yesterday. There were also seven more deaths, bringing the provincial total to 1,690. There are 3,543 active cases in B.C. with 286 in hospital, 88 of whom are in intensive care.
Of the new cases, 189 were in the Fraser Health region, 98 in Vancouver Coastal, nine on Vancouver Island and 14 in the Northern Health region.
Register for vaccinations at the Get Vaccinated website here or by calling 1-833-838-2323.
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