The province confirmed 438 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, Mar. 2. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

MORE CASES

B.C. focused on ‘maximizing the benefit’ of widespread COVID-19 vaccinations, 23 new Island Health cases

Mar 2, 2021 | 4:08 PM

NANAIMO — More first doses for more people is the mantra for public health as the COVID-19 pandemic rolls on.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry echoed Monday’s update on the vaccine rollout plan which stretched the time between first and second doses to 16 weeks.

She said the goal now becomes getting everyone in B.C. the option of a first dose by the summer months and using data collected between now and then to inform follow-up shots.

“All of that science is going on now and by the time we get through these next few months we’ll have a better idea about that, about what we need to get us through the next respiratory season and the next few years.”

Studies conducted on long-term care residents and healthcare workers helped make the decision on delaying second doses.

new mayor

Spring Mayoral by-election called in Ladysmith

10h ago

holiday check stops

Nanaimo motorists shine during province-wide crackdown

13h ago

targeted job action

Striking Nanaimo postal workers disrupt Purolator operations

16h ago

Case counts among residents and staff in long-term care facilities plummeted after around 12 days following immunization. The effectiveness of vaccines was around 90 per cent after three weeks, with protection lasting several months according to Dr. Henry

“Right now we know that maximizing the benefit of a single dose for more people in British Columbia is going to get us to our post pandemic goal sooner and is going to protect more people, keep more people from needing hospitalizations and prevent more people from dying.”

Over 283,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses were administered as of Monday, Mar. 1 province-wide, including 86,537 second doses.

The province announced 438 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C. during a Tuesday briefing.

Island Health reported 23 new cases including eight in the central Island region. Active cases in the health authority dropped to 291 with a decrease of 18 in central Vancouver Island, now reporting 170 active cases.

The number active cases in B.C. ballooned to 4,679 as the province effectively gave up gains made over the weekend.

Hospitalizations in B.C. increased by seven to 243, with the 63 people in ICU representing a slightly decrease from Monday but remaining on par from the last week.

Two people, one each in Fraser and Northern Health, died in the last 24 hours from COVID-19 related ailments, taking B.C.’s death toll to 1,365.

The province is also continuing to track two variants of concern circulating in B.C., with 182 total cases confirmed however just eight remain active with one of those people in hospital.

Public health is still unsure where roughly one quarter of cases involving international variants were exposed to the virus. Thirteen per cent are linked to travel while another 60 per cent are close contacts of already confirmed cases.

Join the conversation. Submit your letter to NanaimoNewsNOW and be included on The Water Cooler, our letters to the editor feature.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW