Interior Health has been experiencing B.C.91裸聊视频檚 highest daily COVID-19 case counts, even as numbers fall in other health authorities.
While data shows a steady decline in COVID-19 cases provincially, increasing daily case counts in the Interior Health region are causing the rolling seven-day average to climb, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.
From the end of June until approximately two weeks ago the rolling seven-day average had plateaued. But that average has since risen following a recent trend of higher daily case counts.
That point was punctuated by the weekend case counts 91裸聊视频� provincially, a total of 267 over three days, but over half of those cases came from Interior Health 91裸聊视频� the most of all health authorities 91裸聊视频� at 155.
As of Tuesday, July 27, Interior Health also has the highest active case count at 415.
In spite of the rising case counts, the province has reached some vaccination milestones 91裸聊视频� 80 per cent of those eligible have received a first dose, while over 60 per cent are fully vaccinated.
However, there are pockets around B.C. where vaccine uptake is not reflected in the provincial statistics, and can vary by age range.
In the 18-49 age range, vaccination rates of first doses in a few local health areas in the Interior Health region are below or just above 50 per cent. According to the BC CDC91裸聊视频檚 latest data in that age range, Creston is at 45 per cent, Grand Forks is at 55 per cent, and Vernon is at 60 per cent.
Dr. Bonnie Henry addressed lower vaccination rates in rural areas during an immunization update on Tuesday, during an event that also kicked off a new 91裸聊视频榁ax for BC91裸聊视频� campaign.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a different challenge, both in the Interior and the North, where there are many smaller communities that are quite physically distant from each other, where there are pockets of people who have not had access to vaccine, where we91裸聊视频檝e had challenges like wildfires and smoke and many other things going on,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淪o partly there are some pockets of people who are hesitant about the vaccine, don91裸聊视频檛 yet have confidence in the vaccine and we91裸聊视频檝e seen that in health care workers and in some communities across both the Interior and the North and part of it having the resources and access to vaccine.
91裸聊视频淪o that91裸聊视频檚 what we91裸聊视频檙e going to be focusing on, particularly in the next couple of weeks, is making sure we can get out there to a community, to every community, to answer those questions and to make it convenient for people to get their vaccine.91裸聊视频�
Officials provided an update on the province91裸聊视频檚 vaccination efforts on Tuesday, July 27, during the 91裸聊视频榁ax for BC91裸聊视频� launch 91裸聊视频� a new campaign encouraging as many eligible people as possible to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
It will include community events, vax vans and mobile clinics, as well as a province-wide 91裸聊视频榃alk-in Wednesday91裸聊视频� event on Aug. 4, where clinics will co-ordinate 20,000 doses for walk-in vaccinations for anyone 12 years of age and older.
British Columbia has just under one million residents unvaccinated 91裸聊视频� Fraser Health has the most at 315,748, with Interior Health coming up with the second-most at 199,159 (data as of July 23).
Henry emphasized the effectiveness of being vaccinated through a snapshot of COVID-19 outcomes in a month-long period between June 15 to July 15, noting that 78 per cent of people hospitalized were unvaccinated, and less than five per cent of COVID-19 cases were among fully vaccinated people.
91裸聊视频淭his is why it is extremely important that we all get both doses of vaccine and now is the time to do that, not only to protect ourselves, but to protect the ones around us,91裸聊视频� she said.
