The BC CDC is reporting four new cases of COVID-19 in the Golden area, for the week of Sept. 12-18.
It’s a steep drop-off from the week’s prior, where Golden had amongst the highest case rates in Interior Health. Just in the week prior alone, 17 cases were reported.
Golden now has a three per cent positivity rate for all tests from Sept. 13-19.
Provincially, most of the recent cases and hospitalizations continue to be among unvaccinated individuals, with the BC CDC saying that unvaccinated individuals are 11 times more likely to catch COVID, 59 times more likely to be hospitalized and 19 time more likely to die, compared to full vaccinated people.
Over the past month, fully vaccinated individuals accounted for 21 per cent of cases and 12 per cent of hospitalizations, a number that the BC CDC says will increase as fewer people are left unvaccinated.
To put that into context, if 100 per cent of the population were fully vaccinated, 100 per cent of cases and hospitalizations would be amongst vaccinated people. However, there would be fewer cases and hospitalizations, as the vaccine significantly lowers the risk of acquiring COVID-19 and getting seriously ill from it.
Golden is currently reporting an 89 per cent first dose vaccination coverage for those 12+, with 79 per cent being fully vaccinated.
The vaccine passport is now in effect, with a QR code required as of Sept. 24. Your vaccine card will no longer be enough.
In order to get into certain non-essential businesses, a second dose will be required by the end of October.
Maps of new cases reported each week in each local health area can be found on the BC Centre for Disease Control website under BC COVID-19 data. Also available are graphs from the BCCDC Comparisons App showing how each health authority is doing in terms of positive test rates by month.
Vaccine appointments can be booked online, or over the phone by calling 1-833-838-2323.
