Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says it's hoped everyone will receive at least one vaccine by Canada Day. (flickr/Gov't of B.C.)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

covid-19 update

Vaccine rollout ramps up, Canada Day target for everyone receiving first shot

Mar 18, 2021 | 3:11 PM

NANAIMO — B.C. public health is setting a new ambitious target for everyone receiving their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry on Thursday, March 18, announced the timeline for vaccines was accelerated due to a swiftly increasing supply of vaccines. It’s hoped everyone over the age of 18 will receive their first dose by Canada Day if all goes well.

Those 79 and older and Indigenous elders 55 and over can start booking their vaccine appointments on Saturday, March 20. The eligible age to start booking appointments within the 79-70 age cohort drops daily.

Roughly 900,000 doses of vaccine, predominantly the Pfizer vaccine, are expected by April 18.

Increased shipments of the AstraZeneca vaccine will also be used to target places prone to outbreaks and essential workers such as teachers and police officers.

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Dr. Henry said they expect roughly 340,000 doses of the vaccine by the end of May. There’s also potential for more doses arriving from the United States.

Island Health will receive 1,000 doses to be used in locations with ongoing outbreaks. Public health will coordinate administering the AstraZeneca vaccines and essential workers receiving the dose are urged to not call the age-based telephone lines to book appointments.

“Getting vaccine as quickly as possible into as many people as possible helps break chains of transmissions and outbreaks as we’re working at the same time with the bulk of our program to protect those most at risk.”

Dr. Henry said much of the AstraZeneca vaccine will be used within the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health areas.

One person in B.C. has suffered a temporary blood clot due to the vaccine.

Though timelines are firm for everyone receiving their first vaccine dose, the easing of restrictions is much more vague.

“By the time we get to the summer, if we get through this program, then we’ve been looking at the end of summer and fall to have some local gatherings with larger numbers. By June, if we’re able to keep a third wave from taking off, we can look at easing some restrictions.”

Dr. Henry said she can only give a sense of what will happen, but there’s too many variables at this time to make any commitments to easing restrictions.

Island Health announced 30 new cases on Thursday, up from 16 the day before.

The number of active cases remained steady at 197 with 97 within the central Vancouver Island region.

There is a data discrepancy between Island Health and the province, based on the timing of COVID-19 results. NanaimoNewsNOW reports local verified data from Island Health.

The province announced 622 new COVID-19 cases and eight fatalities.

The number of active cases remains slightly below 5,000 though the number of hospitalizations has increased 32 per cent in one month to 286.

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