B.C. breaks 1-day vaccination record for COVID-19 and flu shots

Record numbers of people in British Columbia are being vaccinated against COVID-19 and flu as the province ramps up its immunization campaign for respiratory illness season.

The health ministry said in a news release that B.C. pharmacies administered almost 82,000 vaccinations on Oct. 15 alone.

It says that was a record for a single day, with about 50,000 shots for flu and about 32,000 for COVID-19 dispensed.

The ministry says updated vaccines for both influenza and COVID-19 are on offer, including new mRNA vaccines for the KP.2 COVID variant.

The ministry says it began sending invitations for priority populations to update their immunizations on Oct. 8, and the record was set on the first day of delivery.

The first week of the campaign also set a record, with almost 370,000 vaccines administered.

The new figures were announced by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, who said in the release that respiratory illness season is a time to remember "healthy habits," including covering coughs, washing hands, avoiding others if you have a cough or fever, and wearing a mask if you have lasting symptoms or need more protection.

Henry said at a Tuesday news conference that the province has seen "sporadic" cases so far this year of flu and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV,  going back to what would be considered "a more normal pattern" from before the pandemic.

"I expect that we're going to start seeing influenza and RSV start to increase, probably late November, early into December, seeing the patterns that we're seeing now," she said.

"But COVID-19 remains elevated. It was elevated through the summer. It never did go back to what we would call a seasonal spread. We had a slight increase in the spring, and it levelled off a little bit in the summer, but we're starting to see that increase again."

She said virus levels in wastewater remain high at many sites, and hospital admission rates are "elevated," though they "levelled off a little bit in the last little while."

"So, that tells us, again, that we still don't know enough about the patterns that these viruses are going to have long-term in this province and in these countries. Again, it remains really important for us to have that increasing protection, particularly people who are more at risk of severe illness," she said. 

COVID no longer an emergency in B.C., Henry says

The ministry says the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that people get the updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall or six months after their most recent COVID-19 vaccine or infection, whichever is later.

Henry said the COVID-19 virus still causes severe illness in people who are older or who have compromised immune systems or other illnesses.

She said the province is no longer in an emergency situation, largely because vaccines are protecting people.

"But we don't know for certain the patterns that we're going to see long term, whether it's going to require a booster every year, or whether it might slow down the changes that we're seeing in the virus and not need to have a booster for a longer period of time," she said.

While there's still some uncertainty around COVID-19, Henry said they know it's going to be around for the long term. 

"We need to be prepared for that. And thankfully, we have good vaccines that help protect people, particularly from the more severe illness."