Prince Rupert area is on a roller coaster with weekly COVID-19 numbers up then down. The latest numbers from the BC Center of Disease Control released on May 20, show another increase in the region from one the previous week to two lab-confirmed cases from May 9 to 15.
Neighbouring Terrace is down zero cases of COVID-19, Kitimat is at two, with Haida Gwaii and Nisga’a both also are at zero.
Since the start of the pandemic, Prince Rupert has experienced 820 recorded cases of the virus, surpassing Terrace which has seen 790, and Kitimat 204, Haida Gwaii at 142, and Nisga’a at 194.
Despite numbers in Prince Rupert being close to, but not yet hitting the zero mark, the Ministry of Health announced on May 20 that more than 300,000 young people across the province, between the ages of 12 and 17 can now register to become vaccinated.
“Now that we have a large supply of Pfizer vaccine, we have enough to provide every young person 12 and up with protection against COVID-19,” Dr. Penny Ballem, lead on B.C.’s immunization plan rollout, said. “I hope each young person registers for their vaccine today.”
“Young people have faced immense challenges throughout this pandemic and have responded with strength and resilience,” Premier John Horgan, said. “If you’re between 12 and 17, your turn is here. Vaccines are how we get our lives back and get back to seeing our friends and all the activities we miss.”
People born in 2009 and earlier can register themselves for an appointment, or can have a parent or guardian do it for them.
Under the Infants Act, children can give consent as a mature minor to receive health care, like getting a vaccine.
Household and group vaccination options are also available to make it easy for households to be immunized at the same time. Multiple young people in a household can attend one booked appointment and be vaccinated together, a media release stated.
To register online for a vaccine appointment, everyone will need:
* their personal health number (found on their CareCard, driver’s licence or BC Services Card);
* postal code;
* first and last name;
* date of birth; and
* an email address that gets checked regularly or a phone number that can receive text messages.
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K-J Millar | JournalistÂ
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