Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced a change to vaccination procedure for clinically extremely vulnerable people across B.C. on Monday, Sept. 13. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

RESPONSE CHANGES

Third COVID-19 dose coming for immunocompromised, mandatory vax for all healthcare workers

Sep 13, 2021 | 4:24 PM

NANAIMO — The province is making a small adjustment to its COVID-19 vaccination program for a small group of British Columbians.

Public Health is following a recommendation from the National Advisory Council on Immunization (NACI), which suggests a small segment of the population considered clinically extremely vulnerable should receive a booster shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said those with certain conditions which make them immunocompromised don’t respond as well to any type of vaccine.

“This means they may not have responded adequately to the first two doses and given them sufficient antibodies that they would be protected and this puts them at much higher risk than the rest of us.”

Invitations to those considered extremely vulnerable will begin going out this week, based on healthcare records and vaccination history obtained through the first two rounds of immunization.

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It’s expected the third dose recommendation will affect 30,000 people, while a further 120,000 people considered moderately immunocompromised aren’t recommended for a third dose at this time.

Also announced on Monday, Sept. 13, was an extension of a previous health order making vaccination against COVID-19 a condition of employment for healthcare workers.

The order, previously limited to those in long term care, will be extended come Oct. 26 to include all healthcare workers, contractors and volunteers in any B.C. healthcare facility.

Henry said some medical or religious exemptions will be allowed and reviewed on a case by case basis.

“Our hospitals are strained right now and they’re strained with an added burden felt across the province. Our emergency departments and ICU’s are filling up, not just with patients who have COVID, most of whom have not been vaccinated.”

Monday marked the debut of B.C.’s vaccine passport program, with over 2.11 million people downloading their passport in the six days since launching on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

The passport limits access to certain indoor settings for unvaccinated people. Those who are considered partially vaccinated have until Oct. 24 to register a second dose, or be subject to similar restrictions.

Currently due to be in place until Jan. 31, 2022, the passport is eyed as a way to remove or adjust other restrictions in place.

“My hope is that in the weeks ahead, we’ll be able to remove things like capacity limits and other restrictions because of the protection knowing that vaccinated people are in these settings,” Dr. Henry said.

Island Health confirmed 231 new cases on Monday, from three reporting periods over the weekend, an average of 77 per day.

The central Island region accounted for 117 of the additions, with another 86 in the south and 28 in the north.

Active cases rose 65 to 528, again led by the central Island with 249 active cases. Southern Vancouver Island accounts for 210 while the north has 69.

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.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, 23 people are in Island hospitals for COVID-19 symptoms including 16 receiving critical care.

Across B.C., 1,984 cases were announced over the same three days. Active cases remained relatively steady, dropping 25 to 5,825.

Of the active cases, 278 people are in hospital including 139 admitted to critical care wards.

Health minister Adrian Dix noted Monday out of the 139 ICU patients, 121 are unvaccinated including 37 out of 38 under the age of 50.

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