B.C. could lift more COVID restrictions starting Family Day
British Columbia's top doctor says some COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings are expected to be gradually lifted by Feb. 21.
Dr. Bonnie Henry said that's possible in part because 90 per cent of residents aged 12 and over have received two doses of a vaccine, though more people need to get a booster shot for longer-lasting protection.
The most recent public health orders related to gatherings at sports events and concerts, for example, were set to expire on Feb. 16, and Henry said she will announce any changes a day earlier.
However, she said Friday that a complete reopening will not be possible because evidence from around the world suggests infections spread quickly without a phased-in approach, which is necessary as the pandemic is expected to continue for some time.
“New variants will surely emerge. Immunity will wane, whether that's from infection or from vaccination. We know that there's a seasonality, and next fall will bring the increased risk of transmission again. And we need to prepare for that.”
Henry said B.C.'s committee on immunization will be discussing a recommendation from its federal counterpart that children between the ages of five and 12 get a booster shot if they have underlying health conditions.
There are pros and cons in making that decision and more details will be provided at her next briefing on Tuesday, she said.
Henry said people have adapted through five waves of COVID-19 since B.C. identified its first infection two years ago, but seniors and people who are unvaccinated remain most at risk of contracting the virus.
About 40 per cent of deaths this month were related to outbreaks at long-term care homes while those who died outside of those facilities were older and had other illnesses, she said.
A high proportion of them were unvaccinated, though younger people also died, including those who had been hospitalized for some time with the Delta variant, which caused more severe illness, Henry said, adding two people who died this week were in their 40s while others were younger.
Henry said the province is working on new guidelines for declaring outbreaks, including at long-term care homes, because the definition of an outbreak is shifting from being based on the number of infections to the particular situation at facilities where many employees may be off with a mild illness.
Figures from the Health Ministry show 51 per cent of children between the ages of five and 11 have received their first shot, but Health Minister Adrian Dix said more parents should be getting their kids vaccinated.
“This is critical. This is what we can do now, especially to contribute toward our collective effort.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
WATCH LIVE Police set to provide update on arrests in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist
More details are expected this morning on arrests that have been made in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport one year ago, Peel Regional Police say.
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
Liberals must now sell a budget they say will help younger Canadians catch up
It's now up to the federal Liberal government to sell a spending plan it says will help younger Canadians catch up to their elders.
Father of boy accused of stabbing 2 Australian clerics saw no signs of extremism, Muslim leader says
The father of a boy accused of stabbing two Christian clerics in Australia saw no signs of his son’s extremism, a Muslim community leader said on Wednesday as police began arresting suspected rioters who besieged a Sydney church demanding revenge.
Ontario woman out $30K after investing in mortgage company accused of being unlicensed
An Ontario nurse is fighting to recover tens of thousands of dollars in savings she invested in a mortgage company that has since been accused of operating without a licence.
Young New Brunswick songwriter makes appearance on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'
Eight-year-old songwriter Zuri Hamilton from Miramichi, N.B., got to show off her talent on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' on Monday.
Stretching isn't always the answer for pain and muscle tension
For years, conventional wisdom in fitness culture has promoted the belief that stretching to become more flexible leads to better movement and injury prevention.