When it comes to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines in B.C. thus far, Northern Health appears to be at the bottom of the totem pole.
According to numbers released by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry today (Jan. 4), 2,650 doses of both the approved Pfizer and Moderna vaccine have been inoculated in northern B.C.
This includes 1,950 Pfizer doses and 700 of Moderna since Dec. 22 when the first one was given to Biserka Becker, a care aide in Prince George's Jubliee Lodge where an outbreak is in place and 12 residents have died from the virus.
That's only 4.85 per cent of the grand total of 54,625 vaccinations that have taken place in B.C.; 34,125 of Pfizer and 20,500 of Moderna.
Pfizer is also expected to ship 16,575 more doses this week, but distribution numbers are unclear as of this publication.
Dr. Henry admits the process has been slower than what was initially planned as B.C. hopes to have 70,000 long-term care and assisted-living residents and staff vaccinated by the end of January, and 30,000 frontline health-care workers.
“So it has been a slower rollover than we were hoping, but we will be using up the additional doses over the coming week,” she said, adding that Pfizer deliveries are coming in on a weekly basis while the Moderna deliveries are expected every two to three weeks.
Northern Health is the largest authority in the province, but since Fraser Health has the biggest population, it's slated to get more doses than the rest.
More than 20 vaccinations have been administered at the Jubliee Lodge since Dec. 22.
The province expects to have 792,000 doses delivered and 400,000 people to have the first one by the end of March.
The priority list for vaccinations from December through February includes about 150,000 people:
- About 70,000 residents and staff of long-term care
- About 13,000 residents and staff of assisted-living residences
- About 2,000 individuals in the hospital or in the community who have been assessed and are awaiting a long-term care placement
- About 8,000 essential visitors in long-term care and assisted living
- About 30,000 health-care workers providing front-line care in intensive-care units, medical/surgical units and emergency departments, and paramedics
- About 25,000 individuals in remote/isolated First Nation communities
The vaccination schedule for February through March includes about 400,000 people:
- About 260,000 community-based seniors 80 and older (65 years and older for Indigenous seniors and elders)
- Up to 40,000 people experiencing homelessness and/or using shelters, in provincial correctional facilities, in group homes (adults) and in mental-health residential care (adults)
- About 60,000 long-term home-support recipients and staff
- About 20,000 hospital staff, community general practice physicians and medical specialists
- About 25,000 people in First Nation communities
Northern Health has recorded 2,186 COVID-19 infections since March 2020, including 169 new ones since New Year's Eve (Dec. 31).
This includes 498 active cases as per the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), but Dr. Henry said that might not include all of them due to a technical error and shift in IT systems with the authority.
There are also 30 virus-linked deaths to date, 16 people admitted into critical care or ICU among 19 hospitalizations, and 1,649 recoveries.
- with files from Tyler Orton, Business In Vancouver
