B.C. reports 26 fewer people in hospital with COVID-19 and 2 fewer in the ICU

B.C. health officials reported 523 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Tuesday, including 83 in intensive care, as 466 new cases of the virus were recorded. No new deaths were reported.

The new numbers represent a decrease of 26 COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the past 24 hours, including two fewer patients in the ICU.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 24 per cent from last Tuesday, when 688 people were in hospital with the disease and down about 49 per cent from a month ago when 1,035 people were in hospital. 

Deaths also lag cases, with higher numbers a reflection of Omicron's surge last month.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 23 per cent from 108 a week ago and down by 40 per cent from a month ago when 139 people were in the ICU.

As of Tuesday, 7.7 per cent of COVID-19 tests in B.C. are coming back positive, according to the province's COVID-19 dashboard. The number had been above 20 per cent though most of January but began to fall this month, along with hospitalizations. 

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has said that anything above a five per cent test-positivity rate is an indicator of community transmission.

The provincial death toll from COVID-19 remains at 2,873 lives lost out of 348,771 confirmed cases to date.

There are a total of 28 active outbreaks in assisted living, long-term, and acute care facilities.

Acute care outbreaks include:

• Burnaby Hospital.
• Langley Memorial Hospital.

As of Tuesday, 90.6 per cent of those five and older in B.C. had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 86.3 per cent a second dose.

From Feb. 21 to 27, those not fully vaccinated accounted for 19.4 per cent of cases and from Feb. 14 to 27, they accounted for 34.7 per cent of hospitalizations, according to the province.

A total of 2.6 million people have received a booster shot to date.

Pfizer vaccine less effective in kids, study shows

Two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was protective against severe disease in children aged five to 11 during the recent Omicron variant surge, but quickly lost most of its ability to prevent infection in the age group, according to a study by New York State researchers.

The vaccine's efficacy against infection among those children declined to 12 per cent at the end of January from 68 per cent in mid-December compared to kids who did not get vaccinated, according the study, which has not yet been peer reviewed.

For those aged 12 to 17, the vaccine's protection against infection fell to 51 per cent in late January from 66 per cent in mid-December.

The vaccine was around 48 per cent effective in keeping the younger age group out of the hospital, with 73 per cent efficacy against hospitalization among adolescents last month, the data showed.

That was down from effectiveness of 100 per cent and 85 per cent against hospitalization for the two age groups as of mid-December.

Province promotes booster doses

B.C.'s provincial health officer is strongly urging those who haven't done so to get their COVID-19 booster dose, as the province moves into the next phase of the pandemic.

Henry said the booster dose is 60 to 70 per cent protective when it comes to preventing infection, and "highly protective" in preventing the need for hospitalization from COVID-19.

"It will help you now, and it will help you for what we will be dealing with in the future," she said during a news conference Tuesday.

Henry said about 60 per cent of fully vaccinated British Columbians, that is residents who have two doses, have also received a booster dose.

She also said 47 per cent of those in intensive care are unvaccinated and people are 20 times more likely to have severe illness without the protection of vaccines.