The Northern Health region saw six new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, according to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
The number of active cases in the north remained steady at 87, according to data released by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. As of Thursday, nine people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the Northern Health region, including five people in critical care.
Henry reported two additional COVID-19 related deaths in B.C. on Thursday, neither of which was a northern B.C. resident. The region's death toll from the pandemic remained at 153.
As of Thursday, nearly 3.43 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the province, Henry said. Of those, 154,807 doses have been administered in the Northern Health region.
Province-wide, 71.8 per cent of adults and 68.9 per cent of people 12 years old and up have had at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, Henry said.
"We are making great strides," Henry said. "There is enough supply for everyone."
All British Columbians will be able to receive their first and second dose of vaccine by the end of the summer, she said, "and likely much sooner than that."
Pharmacies will begin contacting the roughly 280,000 British Columbians who received the AstraZeneca vaccine to book appointments for second doses beginning on Monday, Henry said.
"Please don't call them," she said. "They have a system they are putting in place (to contact people for their second dose."
Those who received AstraZeneca will also have a choice to get the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead, and those who have registered online will get a text telling them when they are eligible to book a second dose through that system as well.
"We know it is just as good to get a second dose of AstraZeneca as to get an MRNA vaccine," she said. "The rare risk of blood clots (with AstraZeneca) is less, considerably less, with dose two."
Henry said the risk of mild side-effects – sore arm, "feeling blah," etc. – is somewhat higher for people choosing to take a different vaccine for their second dose, Henry said. But ultimately, either option will provide good protection against the virus.
To register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, go online to www.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated or phone 1-833-838-2323 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
