While there is no requirement to wear a mask indoors with BC’s mask mandate officially lifted today but the pandemic continues but safety now rests with the individual as to how he wants to conduct in public and the government has made it clear that those who want to wear a mask indoors can continue to do so. There were over 200 cases and three new deaths to end the week. There are 368 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 46 are in intensive care.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VICTORIA – While there is no requirement to wear a mask indoors with BC’s mask mandate officially lifted today but the pandemic continues but safety now rests with the individual as to how he wants to conduct in the public and government has made it clear that those who want to wear mask indoors can continue to do so. There were over 200 cases and three new deaths to end the week.

As of Friday, March 11, 90.7% (4,522,145) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 86.6% (4,318,406) have received their second dose.

In addition, 93.4% (4,327,290) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.9% (4,212,056) received their second dose and 56.4% (2,616,170) have received a third dose.

Also, 93.7% (4,052,632) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 91.3% (3,948,614) received their second dose and 58.4% (2,523,786) have received a third dose.

B.C. is reporting 288 new cases of COVID-19, including two epi-linked cases, for a total of 352,039 cases in the province.

The new cases include:

* Fraser Health: 71

* Vancouver Coastal Health: 47

* Interior Health: 93

* Northern Health: 30

* Island Health: 47

* People who reside outside of Canada: zero

There are 368 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 46 are in intensive care.

In the past 24 hours, three new deaths (Fraser Health) have been reported, for an overall total of 2,935.

There have been no new health-care facility outbreaks, for a total of 14 facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including:

* long-term care:
* Ponderosa, Hillside Village, Mission Creek Landing, Williams Lake Seniors Village (Interior Health)

* Sidney Care Home, Selkirk Seniors Village, Berwick House Gordon Head, The Heights at Mt. View, Greenwoods, Parkwood Court, Luther Court and Yucalta Lodge (Island Health)

* acute care:
* Mission Memorial Hospital (Fraser Health)

* assisted or independent living:
* Fischer Place (Interior Health)

From March 3-9, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 18.0% of cases.

From Feb. 24 to March 9, they accounted for 28.7% of hospitalizations.

Past week cases (March 3-9) - Total 2,069

* Not vaccinated: 318 (15.4%)

* Partially vaccinated: 53 (2.6%)

* Fully vaccinated: 1,698 (82.0%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (Feb. 24 to March 9) - Total 373

* Not vaccinated: 87 (23.3%)

* Partially vaccinated: 20 (5.4%)

* Fully vaccinated: 266 (71.3%)

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (March 3-9)

* Not vaccinated: 88.1

* Partially vaccinated: 30.8

* Fully vaccinated: 36.2

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 24 to March 9)

* Not vaccinated: 24.5

* Partially vaccinated: 18.6

* Fully vaccinated: 5.6

Since December 2020, the Province has administered 11,398,503 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines.