British Columbians are hopefully heading to a spring and summer of normal living with COVID-19 restrictions now easing with only masks indoor and vaccine passports still remaining as caution towards a receding virus. But the virus will still be with us and it will be up to each person to remain cautious as to their own need and immunity.  The week ended with five new deaths and over 600 cases as this weekend will be first in a long while when British Columbians can go back to partying and enjoying small and large gatherings.

By PD Raj

VICTORIA – British Columbians are hopefully heading to a spring and summer of normal living with COVID-19 restrictions now easing with only masks indoor and vaccine passports still remaining as caution towards a receding virus. But the virus will still be with us and it will be up to each person to remain cautious as to their own need and immunity. 

The week ended with five new deaths and over 600 cases as this weekend will be first in a long while when British Columbians can go back to partying and enjoying small and large gatherings.

As of Friday, Feb. 18, 90.5% (4,509,718) of eligible people five and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 85.6% (4,266,168) have received their second dose.

In addition, 93.2% (4,318,206) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, 90.6% (4,197,759) received their second dose and 53.9% (2,497,228) have received a third dose.

Also, 93.5% (4,044,520) of all eligible adults in B.C. have received their first dose, 91.0% (3,936,253) received their second dose and 56.2% (2,432,537) have received a third dose.

B.C. is preparing for rapid test distribution to the public, starting first with seniors and depending on availability. Details on this plan will be outlined during next week's media briefing.

B.C. is reporting 692 new cases of COVID-19, for a total of 343,631 cases in the province.

The new cases include:

* Fraser Health: 157

* Vancouver Coastal Health: 75

* Interior Health: 217

* Northern Health: 138

* Island Health: 105

* People who reside outside of Canada: zero

There are 733 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 113 are in intensive care.

In the past 24 hours, five new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,786.

The new deaths include:

* Fraser Health: three

* Vancouver Coastal Health: one

* Island Health: one

There have been two new health-care facility outbreaks at Langley Memorial Hospital and Menno Home (Fraser Health). The outbreak at Queen's Park Care Centre (Fraser Health) has been declared over, for a total of 33 facilities with ongoing outbreaks, including:

* long-term care:
* Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre, Menno Home (Fraser Health)

* Pinegrove Care Centre, Poplar Ridge, Noric House, Glenmore Lodge, Trinity Care Centre, Ponderosa, Castleview Care Centre, Overlander Residential Care, Mountainview Village, Three Links Manor (Interior Health)

* Wexford Creek, Sidney Care Home, Eden Gardens, Kiwanis Village Lodge, Salvation Army Sunset Lodge, Sunset Lodge, Amica on the Gorge, Tsawaayuus Rainbow Gardens, Berwick on The Lake, Chemainus Health Care Centre, Selkirk Seniors Village, Sunridge Place, Nanaimo Seniors Village, Sluggett House, Glacier View Lodge, Rest Haven Lodge, Sidney All Care and The Heights at Mt. View (Island Health)

* acute care:
* Burnaby Hospital, Langley Memorial Hospital (Fraser Health); and

* Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (Island Health)

* assisted or independent living:
* none

From Feb. 10-16, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 22.1% of cases.
From Feb. 3-16, they accounted for 32.0% of hospitalizations.

Past week cases (Feb. 10-16) - Total 5,277

* Not vaccinated: 974 (18.5%)

* Partially vaccinated: 189 (3.6%)

* Fully vaccinated: 4,114 (77.9%)

Past two weeks cases hospitalized (Feb. 3-16) - Total 851

* Not vaccinated: 238 (28.0%)

* Partially vaccinated: 34 (4.0%)

* Fully vaccinated: 579 (68.0%)

Past week, cases per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 10-16)

* Not vaccinated: 238.6

* Partially vaccinated: 85.0

* Fully vaccinated: 90.7

Past two weeks, cases hospitalized per 100,000 population after adjusting for age (Feb. 3-16)

* Not vaccinated: 65.0

* Partially vaccinated: 30.3

* Fully vaccinated: 12.3

Since December 2020, the Province has administered 11,216,953 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Pfizer Pediatric COVID-19 vaccines.