What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Dec. 14
As of Friday, there were 9,589 active cases of COVID-19 B.C. with 343 people in hospital
THE LATEST:
- A Quebec nursing home resident became the first person in Canada to receive the vaccine.
- B.C.'s inoculation rollout begins this week.
- Health officials will provide an update on COVID-19 in B.C. at 3 p.m.
- There were 11 new deaths related to COVID-19 on Friday.
- 737 new cases of the virus were also confirmed.
- There are 9,589 active cases of COVID-19 across the province.
- 342 patients are in hospital, with 87 in intensive care.
- 598 people in B.C. have died of the disease since the pandemic began.
- Restrictions on social gatherings remain in place until Jan. 8.
- Residents can only socialize with their household and should travel only if it is essential.
The largest inoculation campaign in the country's history began in a Quebec City nursing home Monday when resident Gisèle Lévesque, 89, became the first Canadian to received the new coronavirus vaccine.
Inoculations are expected to begin within days in British Columbia. Canada Border Services confirmed the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in the province late Sunday evening, releasing photos of the UPS truck carrying the vaccine at an undisclosed Canada-U.S. border crossing.
Health officials in B.C. are expected on Monday to continue to encourage residents to keep up their efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which has led to the deaths of 598 people in the province since March.
Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix will provide an update about the pandemic at 3 p.m., the first update since Friday.
B.C. announced 737 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday and 11 more deaths.
At that time, 342 people were in hospital, with 87 in intensive care. The province has 9,589 active cases of the virus with 12,008 people currently under public health monitoring.
On Friday, Henry urged British Columbians to take a step back from holiday gatherings. Provincial guidelines specify that residents should only socialize with people in their household in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
British Columbians are being told not to travel outside their local communities for non-essential reasons, whether it's to visit family or take a vacation.
On Friday, there were 119 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 469 new cases in the Fraser Health region, eight in the Island Health region, 99 in the Interior Health region, 41 in the Northern Health region and one new case connected to a person who resides outside of Canada.
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Vaccinations set to begin as early as this week
Last Wednesday, Health Canada announced that it had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Moderna's vaccine is also expected to be approved soon following promising clinical trial results.
The two vaccines are among several that have been pre-ordered by the Canadian government.
B.C. aims to have 400,000 people — just under 10 per cent of B.C.'s population — vaccinated by the end of March.
Staff and residents in long-term care homes, as well as healthcare workers, will be the first to receive the vaccine — some as early as this week.
The first vials of the vaccine, some 4,000 doses, will be distributed to long-term care home workers in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health regions.
Click here for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C.
- Stay informed by joining our CBC Vancouver Facebook group on COVID-19
READ MORE:
- Dr. Bonnie Henry is asking families to make smart choices this holiday season — but that can mean different things to different people.
- Police in Chilliwack say they have recommended charges against three churches that have held in-person worship, contravening provincial health orders.
- About 200 mink have died on a farm in British Columbia's Fraser Valley, east of Vancouver, where a COVID-19 outbreak was declared nearly a week ago.
- While some charities are seeing a rise in volunteers and donations, pandemic restrictions have made the work of others more challenging.
- The B.C. Parks Foundation has launched a program to provide up to 10,000 health-care workers with free, guided "forest bathing" sessions.
- As a holiday season unlike any other approaches, British Columbians who have been living alone throughout the pandemic have some tips for how to make the best of what can be a lonely situation.
- The province has sent a rapid-response team of paramedics to Fort St. James, B.C., where at least 40 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the community of around 1,500.
- All your questions about the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. answered here.
What's happening elsewhere in Canada
As of 4:05 p.m. PT on Sunday, Canada's COVID-19 case count stood at 460,744, with 74,060 of those cases considered active.
A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC's reporting stood at 13,431.
What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Common symptoms include:
- Fever.
- Cough.
- Tiredness.
- Shortness of breath.
- Loss of taste or smell.
- Headache.
But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.
What should I do if I feel sick?
Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control's COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they're mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.
What can I do to protect myself?
- Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. Keep them clean.
- Keep your distance from people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Wear a mask in indoor public spaces.
- Be aware of evolving travel advisories to different regions.
More detailed information on the outbreak is available on the federal government's website.
With files from The Canadian Press