Island Health surpasses 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses

Victoria -

Island Health is celebrating a major milestone in the region's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of Friday, the health authority has administered more than one-million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Island Health first began immunizations on Dec. 22. In the beginning, the doses were focused on frontline workers, seniors and other vulnerable residents.

Now, some seven months later, nearly half of all eligible island residents are fully vaccinated.

Approximately 78 per cent of people aged 12 and older have received their first dose, while 48 per cent have received both doses, according to Island Health.

"With every dose given, our communities are fortifying our collective resilience against this virus – and based on the rates of transmission and hospitalizations in Island Health, it’s clearly working," said Island Health's Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Richard Stanwick, in a release Friday.

"Without the Herculean efforts of our immunization staff and the many supporting teams, as well as our community partners, we would not have been as successful. This is truly a team effort in every sense of the word," he said.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, older residents lead the pack in terms of vaccination totals. The vast majority of local health-care workers have also received at least one dose of vaccine.

The per cent of people who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine by age group can be found below:

• 92 per cent of people aged 70 and older
• 84 per cent of people aged 50-69
• 71 per cent of people aged 30-49
• 65 per cent of people aged 12-29
• 92 per cent of physicians and nurse practitioners
• 88 per cent of all Island Health employees

"Our vaccine supply is good and we are determined to get 85 per cent of our population fully vaccinated," said Stanwick.

"Most importantly, let’s ensure our young people are vaccinated before school starts in September and we move back indoors," he said.

Island Health notes that it took steps to offer vaccine to everyone who wanted one in the region.

The health authority set up more than 1,000 outreach clinics in remote areas, care homes, indigenous communities, and for vulnerable people.

Island Health says that it also partnered with local First Nations and the First Nations Health Authority to vaccinate more than 21,000 people across roughly 50 First Nations communities.