Hope area sees two new cases of COVID-19: BCCDC

The Hope local health area saw a small uptick in COVID-19 cases heading into the second week of March.

The Hope area saw two new cases of COVID 19 from March 7 to March 14, according to the latest data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. This comes off of a zero-case week from Feb. 28 to March 6.

The total cases for 2021 so far has reached 51 with an average of 5.1 cases per week. There was a total of 63 cases of COVID-19 in the area throughout all of 2020.

There have been no school exposures for three months with the last ending on Jan. 11 of this year. The Hope local health area remains free of public exposures as well, marking five months without an exposure event. This past week’s case numbers are among the lowest numbers in five weeks.

Booking your vaccine

If you are born in 1941 or earlier, you may book your COVID-19 vaccine now. Indigenous people aged 65 and over may book their vaccines now as well.

This can be done through the Fraser Health website at Fraserhealth.ca/vaccinebooking or by calling 1-855-755-2455.

Hope has two vaccine clinics, neither of which are drive-thru.

The Hope Public Health Office is located at 444 Park Street and is open Monday through Friday 9:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Hope COVID-19 Testing and Immunization Centre at Fraser Canyon Hospital is at 1275 7th Avenue. Their hours are Monday through Friday 12:10 p.m. to 2 p.m.

As of Thursday, March 18, the province will allow pharamacies to administer the COVID-19 vaccines as well. This follows several weeks of discussion between the B.C. Pharmacy Association and provincial health officials.

“Next steps will be working with the health ministry, health authorities and our members to determine logistics, the vaccines and their supply in a manner that, ensures the most efficient and effective delivery of vaccines to the most patients in the shortest time possible,” the pharmacy association said in a statement.

The Hope Public Health Office is located at 444 Park Street and is open Monday through Friday 9:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Hope COVID-19 Testing and Immunization Centre at Fraser Canyon Hospital is at 1275 7th Avenue. Their hours are Monday through Friday 12:10 p.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit Fraserhealth.ca/vaccine.

– With files from Sarah Grochowski

@adamEditor18 adam.louis@hopestandard.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.