As COVID-19 related deaths continue with another nine announced Friday, BC government put out the vaccine rollout plan which sees distribution by age group with the youngest being the last. The below 59 aged group will not get the vaccine till July. Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, reported 508 new cases, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 63,484 cases in British Columbia.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VICTORIA – As COVID-19 related deaths continue with another nine announced Friday, BC government put out the vaccine rollout plan which sees distribution by age group with the youngest being the last. The below 59 aged group will not get the vaccine till July.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, reported 508 new cases, including six epi-linked cases, for a total of 63,484 cases in British Columbia.

"There are 4,479 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. There are 315 individuals currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 74 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation,” they said in a joint statement.

"Currently, 6,719 people are under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases and a further 56,455 people who tested positive have recovered.

"Since we last reported, we have had 132 new cases of COVID-19 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, 228 new cases in the Fraser Health region, 13 in the Island Health region, 79 in the Interior Health region, 55 in the Northern Health region and one new case of a person who resides outside of Canada.

"To date, 110,566 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in B.C., 2,202 of which are second doses. Immunization data is available on the COVID-19 dashboard at: www.bccdc.ca

"There have been nine new COVID-19 related deaths, for a total of 1,128 deaths in British Columbia. We offer our condolences to everyone who has lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We have two new health-care facility outbreaks at Royal Inland Hospital and Royal Columbian Hospital. The outbreak at Queen's Park Care Centre is now over.

"There has also been one new outbreak at the North Fraser Pretrial Services Centre.

"Today, B.C.'s provincewide COVID-19 Immunization Plan was shared. It outlines the age-based approach for immunization and population protection being used here in British Columbia. This approach will ensure those who are highest risk of severe illness and death receive the vaccine first.

"We need to remember our risk remains high right now, even as we protect more and more people with vaccine. We are not at the point where we can lift restrictions in our community or long-term care.

"We must continue to use our COVID-19 layers of protection and do all we can to stop transmission in our communities right now. This includes staying home when we are sick, getting tested, washing our hands, giving a safe distance to others and following our safety basics. It also means staying close to home and only travelling if it is essential. We have seen how travel even within our province can bring the virus from one place to another with ease. If we must travel, then we must, more than ever, continue to use our COVID-19 safety rules.

"We can break the chains of transmission and bend the curve through our individual actions. This weekend, choose to bend the curve, not the rules."