Omicron variant levelling off, plans for field hospital discussed

• 4,713 health care worker shifts affected by illness in Interior Health
• Too many people still in hospital with COVID
• Government in discussions for space for Lower Mainland field hospital

There are signs the highly infectious COVID-19 Omicron surge is starting to level off and could soon see a decline, but serious risks remain, according to the province’s provincial health officer.

Meanwhile, almost 5,000 healthcare worker shifts were impacted in Interior Health in the last week because of illness, and the government said it is in discussions to create space for a possible field hospital in the Lower Mainland.

Speaking at a media briefing Tuesday, Dr. Bonnie Henry said the effects of the Omicron variant continue to be mostly mild, especially for the vaccinated.

But she said many people were in hospital, including those who had spent long periods there because of the Delta variant, and she highlighted the desperate plight facing the unvaccinated, even those who are young.

“[This virus] can have dramatic effects on you,” Henry said. “Right now, we have three people in ICU in this province who are unvaccinated people in their twenties and one in their thirties.”

Henry said it was distressing for healthcare workers to see patients in so much distress for something that was preventable.

B.C.s top doctor said the third, or booster vaccine, reduced by a further 50 per cent the chances of being hospitalized, while having the first two doses reduced hospitalization by 60-70 per cent. Also, research coming out of Denmark and the U.K. show being vaccinated prevented transmission among people within households.

She called on the public to reduce their indoor activities and to meet outdoors or virtually. She used an example of playing on just one oldies hockey team rather than three as a way of doing the right thing to keep transmission down.

Health care worker absences

While absenteeism is being closely monitored in schools to determine possible COVID-19 outbreaks, Health Minister Adrian Dix announced figures related to absences in the healthcare system.

He said between Jan. 3 and Jan. 9, there were nearly 28,000 shifts workers called in sick for. This covers both COVID-related and other illnesses.

A total of 4,713 of these shifts were called in by workers in Interior Health. The numbers are based on shifts and may have included the same employees over multiple shifts.

Dix, meanwhile, said the government is looking for additional capacity for a field hospital in the Lower Mainland, but there is no immediate plans to put one up.

“We could have a hospital set up within five to seven days,” he explained. “Those discussions are underway, but I want to be clear, we are not moving to stand up a field hospital at this time.”

No plans for vaccine mandate

Asked if the government had plans to follow Quebec in moving towards mandating vaccines, Dix said that would not be the case in this province because of the high uptake in vaccinations.

“Our vaccination campaigns - all of them - have been exceptionally successful here,” Dix said. “Note; 93 per cent of all adults over 18 people, first dose; 90 per cent second dose.”

Latest COVID numbers

Numbers released Tuesday show 2,239 new COVID cases across B.C., with 318 of those in Interior Health and one new death. There were 459 new cases reported in IH on Monday.

Hospitalizations in the region were reported at 49, the same as Monday. There were 23 people in critical care, an increase of two.