Health
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the COVID-19 response in British Columbia:
“Today, we are reporting that 71.1% of all adults in B.C. and 68% of those 12 and older have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 3,365,286 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 208,145 of which are second doses.
“We have had 194 new cases of COVID-19, including two epi-linked cases, for a total of 144,667 cases in British Columbia.
“Of the new cases, 33 are in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 122 are in the Fraser Health region, two are in the Island Health region, 33 are in the Interior Health region and four are in the Northern Health region. There are no new cases of people who reside outside of Canada.
“There are currently 2,662 active cases of COVID-19 in the province and a further 140,238 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 246 individuals are currently hospitalized, 70 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.
“There have been four new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,707 deaths in British Columbia. Our condolences are with the family, friends and caregivers of the people who have died as a result of COVID-19.
“With BC’s Restart plan progressing, this is a time of transition for all of us. We are slowly and cautiously moving forward through Step 1, and in the weeks ahead, activities that have been on hold will resume once again.
“Many are excited about this transition, but there can also be fear and anxiety about what this may mean for you and your loved ones. We have all worked hard to stay safe and we want to keep our positive momentum going.
“We can progress at a pace that works for us – whether that is in step with the restart plan or perhaps being slower and more gradual in our individual approaches.
“Even as we move forward, businesses will still be required to have a workplace safety plan, based on the individual risks in their business. And we must also be respectful that some people and communities will take more time to welcome visitors, based on their own vulnerabilities.
“The restart plan is the playbook for our best path forward. It is about keeping community transmission low as we safely and confidently restart our province.
“So, let’s keep going on this path – following the restrictions that remain in place, continuing to use our layers of protection and ensuring we are fully vaccinated to give all of us maximum protection.”
Learn More:
BC's Restart plan:
To see the May 25, 2021, presentation, visit: http://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BCRestartPlan.pdf
The latest vaccine information:
Register for your vaccine now: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register or call 1-833-838-2323.
For vaccine information, visit the BCCDC dashboard: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/data Or: www.bccdc.ca
Provincial health officer's orders and guidance:
To see the May 20, 2021, presentation, visit: http://news.gov.bc.ca/files/20210520_PHO-Presentation.pdf
Guidance on restrictions: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/restrictions
The latest updates, guidance and information on COVID-19, and where to get tested:
The latest medical updates, including case counts, prevention, risks and to find a testing centre near you: http://www.bccdc.ca/
Or follow @CDCofBC on Twitter.
Mental health support:
Mental health and anxiety support: www.bouncebackbc.ca
Or: www.anxietycanada.com
Or: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/about-covid-19/mental-well-being-during-covid-19
Or: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/mental-health-substance-use/virtual-supports-covid-19
Non-health related information:
Financial, child care and education support, travel, transportation and essential service information: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
Or call 1 888 COVID19 (1 888 268-4319) between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week.
COVID-19 exposure events, updates and information by health authority, visit:
BCCDC (flights, work sites, etc.): http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/public-exposures
Fraser Health: fraserhealth.ca/covid19exposure
Interior Health: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/public-exposures/
Island Health: https://www.islandhealth.ca/learn-about-health/covid-19/outbreaks-and-exposures
Northern Health: https://www.northernhealth.ca/health-topics/outbreaks-and-exposures
Vancouver Coastal Health: http://www.vch.ca/covid-19/public-exposures
For the latest videos and livestreaming of COVID-19 media availabilities, visit:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BCGovNews
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ProvinceofBC
Two backgrounders follow.
