FILE PHOTO - Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / Province of B.C.
February 01, 2022 - 2:45 PM
The wave of people in B.C. hospitals with positive COVID-19 cases seems to have peaked now that the total has passed 1,000, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said at a news briefing today, Feb. 1.
That doesn’t mean there are 1,000 people actually sick with COVID.
“There are more people in hospital than ever now, but 60% to 70% are there for reasons other than COVID,” Dr. Henry said.
Everyone in hospital with a positive COVID test is counted in the daily updates but only about 350 people are in hospital because of COVID.
READ MORE: More than 1,000 people in B.C. hospitals with COVID
The others are admitted for other reasons but have a positive COVID test that doesn't affect their other condition.
There are still some people who are infected with the Delta variant, which tends to make people sicker for longer. On average, those with Delta stay seven days while those with Omicron stay only four days on average.
While Delta was the dominant strain at the end of November, now there are 16 Omicron cases for each Delta-infected people in hospital.
There is a 50% lower chance of being hospitalized with the Omicron variant versus Delta or, to put it another way, 5.1% of those infected with the Delta variant were hospitalized versus 1.3% of those with Omicron.
That doesn’t mean health orders will be eased just yet, although some changes for long-term and assisted care facilities will be posted later today on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control website.
Dr. Henry said last week she will talk about easing restriction at her briefing on Feb. 15, in advance of Family Day on Feb. 21, and reiterated today that it will only be a gradual easing.
“It will not be a flick of the switch,” she said. “It will be a gradual turning of the dimmer switch.”
She also gave an update on booster shots for those aged 12 to 17, saying those with underlying health conditions should get a booster but, for others, it will be more of an option.
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