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WATCH: B.C. in ‘reasonably good place’ as vaccine card set to end

Why Dr. Henry expects to see a big uptake in 4th dose

  • Vaccination remains the most important protection for everyone
  • Government says they've found balance between risk and legal orders
  • Dr. Henry says we're in a transition phase

British Columbians will no longer need to show their B.C. Vaccine Card to get into restaurants and certain events as of 12:01 a.m. on April 8.

The province is also rolling out a second booster, or fourth dose, of the vaccine for those 70 and older and the clinically vulnerable.

The health order on the vaccine passport will be lifted Friday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said at their first COVID-19 briefing in over three weeks.

The mandate to show proof of vaccination has been in place since Sept. 13, 2021, and was in effect for everyone 12 and older for activities like indoor concerts, theatre and sporting events, fitness centres, and restaurants, pubs and bars.

Dr. Henry said the card requirement can be lifted based on the most recent figures showing 91 per cent of British Columbians 18 and older have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 59 per cent of that age group having a booster shot.

As for children, 56 per cent of those aged 5 to 11 have received their first vaccine.

“Where we are today, it should be no surprise to most people, we’re in a reasonably good place. Since I last provided an update in March, we have continued to see progress that is in the right direction,” Henry said.

COVID-19 transmissions, hospitalizations and deaths are all down since her last report, allowing a shift from community requirements, to collectively managing the virus together.

However, Henry said about 75 per cent of B.C.’s current new cases are the BA.2 variant.

“That’s important because that does help us understand why were seeing a slight uptick in cases, and it’s partly because we see from global data, that the BA.2 is more infectious and can spread more easily. It does not seem, however, to cause more severe illness, particularly in people who have been vaccinated,” Henry explained.

The province’s top doctor said with increased activity and travel, there will likely be a slight increase in cases over the next two months.

To reduce the chances of more hospitalizations among the most at risk, the province will provide a ‘spring booster’ for elders and seniors.

“We know that the older we are, the sooner that antibodies will wane, and the less strong memory cell responses will be. So, an extra booster dose will provide a rapid increase in antibodies, and we’ve seen that in other countries where this has been used, and we’ll provide that spring protection as we’re able to get back to more activities.”

The fourth shot will be provided to residents of long-term care of any age, at assisted living facilities, to seniors 70 and over, and for Indigenous people aged 55 and over.

It will be given out about six months from the first booster, or third dose.

Latest numbers

B.C. is reporting 258 new cases of COVID-19, with a total of 334 hospitalizations, an increase of 13 from Monday.

Meanwhile, Interior Health recorded the highest number of new cases across all regions, with 85 in the past 24 hours.

The numbers of total and new cases are provisional and will be updated when verified in the weekly report starting Thursday, April 7.

Published 2022-04-05 by VernonMatters

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