B.C.’s first COVID-19 briefing of 2021 began with a warning that there will likely be an increase in case numbers in the days ahead.
“We know some people chose to bend the rules and we continue to have transmission in our communities and because we know there is a delay between when those exposures happen and when people become sick, we know we can start to see increased numbers of cases,” said B.C.’s provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Since symptoms typically show up about five to six days after exposure but can take up to 14 days, according to the World Health Organization, this is right around the time we might expect to start seeing any impacts from Christmas gatherings. But since testing was down over the holidays the picture isn’t yet clear.
“We’ve just come through the Christmas period and this is the time when everybody, everyone, has to dig in and remember the guidance and the advice of public health and follow it now, it is absolutely necessary that we continue to do this,” said B.C.’s health minister Adrian Dix.
RELATED: B.C. reports 2,211 new cases, 45 deaths in first COVID-19 update of 2021
So far 24,139 people in B.C. have received a first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. 48 per cent of the people who have received a vaccine so far are staff in long-term care homes and 20 per cent are residents.
But B.C. has actually received more than double (54,625) that amount of vaccine doses. Dr. Henry admits there have been issues with the rollout, particularly with transportation.
“It’s a monumental task and there are many months left to go in this. We are constrained by logistics and also by how much vaccine we’re receiving but we’re optimistic and we are focused intensely on making sure we protect people in long-term care and assisted living as quickly as we possibly can,” said Dr. Henry.
The plan is to see 150,000 people in priority groups vaccinated by February and another 400,000 including those over 80-years-old, homeless people and those in correctional facilities by the end of March.
It’s hoped the mass public vaccination program can begin in April or May once more vaccine starts to arrive.
MORE: Canada surpasses 600,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19
April Lawrence
