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B.C. adjusts COVID-19 vaccine rollout for delivery slowdown

Daily cases decline over weekend, 31 more deaths
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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry prepares a daily update on the coronavirus pandemic, April 21, 2020. (B.C. Government)

B.C. continues to administer both kinds of COVID-19 vaccine, preparing for a slowdown in deliveries next week, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Monday.

B.C. is expecting to receive 26,775 doses in its latest shipments this week, mostly the Pfizer vaccine, plus 2,400 more doses of Moderna vaccine that were expected to arrive with a larger shipment last Friday. As of Monday there have been 87,346 doses administered in B.C. Health Canada has advised provinces that deliveries of Pfizer vaccine are expected to slow over the next three weeks as the company revamps its production facilities.

Despite the temporary slowdown in deliveries to Canada, B.C. remains on track to complete its vaccination of high-risk health care employees and seniors in care by the end of March as planned, Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said in their regular update Jan. 18.

Public health officials reported three days of test results, with 584 new cases in the 24 hours up to Saturday, another 445 up to Sunday and 301 up to Monday, for a total of 1,330 since the last report on Friday. There were 31 additional COVID-19-related deaths over the three days, and as of Monday, there were 343 coronavirus patients in hospital, 68 in critical care.

The latest cases include 13 positive tests in people who normally live outside of Canada, and Henry said most of them are temporary foreign workers who have begun arriving again to prepare for the growing season. B.C. continues to provide hotel accommodation to quarantine arriving foreign farm workers for 14 days.

One new health care outbreak was reported at Eagle Ridge Manor in Port Moody. Outbreaks were declared over at four facilities, including McKinney Place in Oliver where 17 people have died. The others declared over are at Laurel Place in Surrey, AgeCare Harmony Court in Burnaby and Capilano Care Centre in West Vancouver, were 25 residents died during a two-month outbreak.

RELATED: Surrey care home outbreak ended after 10 deaths

RELATED: Provinces revise plans as vaccine deliveries slow


@tomfletcherbc
tfletcher@blackpress.ca

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