The province's slide down the back of its third wave of COVID-19 continues with an average of 450 cases per day. (BC Government)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

WEEKEND REPORT

‘We all need to hold the line:’ cases continue to drop ahead of unofficial start of summer

May 17, 2021 | 3:30 PM

NANAIMO — British Columbia continues to stay the course one week before current health orders expire.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said no change in orders, which shut down indoor dining and gatherings, would come before the May long weekend as cases drop substantially from the highs of the third wave.

“We all need to hold the line,” Dr. Henry said on Monday, May 17. “What you do today determines where we will all be two to three weeks from now. That’s why everything we’re doing right now is going to make a difference for our summer.”

She added the May long weekend is widely looked at as the unofficial start of the summer season, meaning more gatherings and chances to get outside.

The province continued its ride down the back of a third wave of COVID-19 infections with 1,360 from three reporting periods over the weekend.

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Island Health reported 32 new cases from the weekend with active cases dropping to 126, down from 149. Fifty active cases remain on central Vancouver Island.

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.

Active cases across B.C. dropped to 5,021, a reduction of just over 500 from Friday, May 14.

Of the active cases, the 350 remaining in hospital and 132 receiving critical care are both notable drops from last week.

Public health officials have administered 2,528,398 doses of vaccine as of Monday’s update with anyone aged 18 year of age or older now eligible to register and book an appointment.

Dr. Henry said additional information on vaccine availability for those aged 12-17 will be made available later in the week.

The province is also awaiting results from studies in the U.K. of the AstraZeneca vaccine and immunity levels when combined with a second dose of a different vaccine brand.

More information is expected in early June and it’s hoped the data will indicate whether there is the same or better protection for those who took AstraZeneca as a first dose.

“We know that we have some time as your immune system is developing its protective response to your first dose, you will have the options or receiving the second dose of AstraZeneca…or you can take the information and make your own decision.”

As of Monday, May 17, over 55 per cent of eligible adults had received at least a first dose of vaccine from Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca.

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