B.C. public health teams confirmed another 715 cases of COVID-19 Thursday, as the province prepares to ease capacity restrictions as of Sunday for public events for people who are fully vaccinated.
There have been four more COVID-19 related deaths in the 24 hours up to Oct. 21. There are currently 377 people in B.C. hospitals with active coronavirus infections, up seven since Wednesday, with 136 of them in intensive care, down three.
First-dose vaccination cards will no longer be accepted for entry at restaurants, movies, live theatre and music as of Oct. 24, with capacity limits lifted for venues that check a paper or electronic version of the B.C. vaccine card. Two doses of approved COVID-19 vaccine plus two weeks to develop an immune response are required from then on.
Capacity limits remain where regional public health orders are in effect, including Fraser East and parts of the Interior and Northern Health regions.
There have been two new outbreaks in the health care system, at Deni House in Williams Lake and Bulkley Valley District Hospital in Smithers, bringing the total active outbreaks for the province to 26. The new cases in Northern Health remain B.C.’s highest on a population basis.
From Oct. 13-19, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 66.4% of cases and from Oct. 6-19, they accounted for 76.2% of hospitalizations.
B.C. health authorities continue to operate scheduled appointment and walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics around the province. A full list of clinic locations and hours by region can be found here. Registration and booking appointments in B.C. can be done here, or by calling 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. seven days a week.
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New and active cases by region for Oct. 21:
• 285 new cases in Fraser Health, 1,971 active
• 60 new cases in Vancouver Coastal Health, 686 active
• 137 new cases in Interior Health, 808 active
• 172 new cases in Northern Health, 937 active
• 61 new cases in Island Health, 504 active
@tomfletcherbc
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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