Tag: Sept

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COVID-19 update for Sept. 29: Here’s what you need to know

COVID-19 update for Sept. 29: Here’s what you need to know

The superior news is that most of the inhabitants has accrued some immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that triggers COVID-19, from vaccination or an infection, overall health officials claimed at a news conference Wednesday.

Nevertheless, that solid immunity will wane more than time and so wellness officials are urging British Columbians to get a booster shot that guards versus the Omicron variant.

Hospitalizations and fatalities from COVID-19 are drastically down from a peak in January, according to B.C. governing administration knowledge. There was a slight surge in May perhaps and then there has been a constant drop.

Choose upholds B.C. employer’s mandatory COVID vaccination coverage

A B.C. judge has upheld an employer’s ideal to put an worker on an unpaid leave of absence for failing to comply with a necessary COVID vaccination coverage.

The selection of B.C. Supreme Court docket Justice Heather MacNaughton was designed in the case of a senior manager of a assets management firm who had declined to get vaccinated.

In her lawsuit, Deepak Parmar alleged that she had been constructively dismissed from her work with Tribe Administration, professing that the organization had breached its contractual obligations by imposing the required plan.

Parmar, an accounting skilled who is not an anti-vaxxer, in accordance to the choose, was worried that the vaccines have been ready and distributed unexpectedly and that there was limited info about their lengthy-expression efficacy and potential detrimental overall health implications.

Go through the complete tale right here.

— Keith Fraser

Healthcare specialists reiterate that COVID-19 is still a menace

The removal of mask mandates and vaccine needs has clinical experts and entrance-line staff reiterating that COVID-19 is even now a threat.

The federal federal government declared on Monday that starting Oct. 1, all COVID-19 entry limitations will be taken off, together with screening, quarantine and isolation specifications for anybody getting into Canada.

A professor of epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan, Nazeem Muhajarine, claimed that the lifting of constraints did not appear as a shock to him and other professional medical professionals as Canada could only very last so extensive just before becoming a member of other countries’ regulatory practices.

Canada is one particular of the final nations around the world to get rid of journey demands following the U.S. and the U.K. — still, Muhajarine said, the removal of the needs does not necessarily mean the elimination of the risk of COVID-19.

“On the 1 hand expressing that there is no constraints now applied, and on the other hand indicating that the pandemic is not over, people two items seem to not go hand in hand,” explained Muhajarine.

—The Canadian Press

Additional than 1.6 million travellers arrived at border without having making use of ArriveCAN: governing administration doc

The Liberal governing administration will end requiring travellers to use the ArriveCAN app — even though new details reveals that given that the start off of the 12 months, a lot more than 1.65 million men and women already flaunted the policies by arriving at the border with no offering the info as a result of the app.

The federal government explained Monday it would elevate all COVID-19-associated travel actions on Oct. 1, such as the prerequisite that travellers to Canada use the ArriveCAN application to provide COVID-19 vaccine, health and vacation info in advance of they arrive. The shift follows opposition to the app from small business teams, which includes the journey and tourism industry, and the Conservative Occasion.

In accordance to a doc tabled in the Property of Commons previous 7 days, among Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, a total of 1,651,900 travellers experienced “presented by themselves at the border for entry into Canada devoid of possessing submitted their community wellness facts through ArriveCAN prior to arrival.” That selection accounts for about 4.3 for every cent of the 38.5 million people today who entered Canada by way of air or land from the start of the year to Sept. 11.

Read through the total storyhere.

— The Countrywide Post

Employers stretched to recruit personnel in B.C.’s pandemic restoration economy

Cafe provider Russell Hendrix’s administrators experienced to do a lot of juggling in the company’s flagship showroom to cover for two flooring income work that took months to fill, even providing $1,000 signing bonuses.

“Vancouver was a obstacle for me before the pandemic, but the pandemic just designed it a lot more challenging,” said Anna Blaszczynska, the company’s vice-president of human assets, who has taken the “unprecedented” step of using a recruiting company to find these showroom profits reps, which is ordinarily an entry-amount place.

And with B.C.’s province-large unemployment amount close to file lows, 4.8 per cent as of August, in accordance to Data Canada’s labour power study, Blaszczynska does not know “if there is heading to be an conclude to this.”

B.C. is not on your own. Country-broad, the workforce that was first upended by significant job losses at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic is being upended again by a number of forces.

In quite a few circumstances, employees aren’t returning to employment they missing, owning opted to swap occupations. Then there is the basic demographic strain of personnel retiring quicker than new candidates moving into the workforce.

Examine the whole storyhere.

— Derrick Penner

Employees nervous about basic safety of returning to office environment as potential COVID wave looms this tumble

Some Canadian staff are elevating fears about a full return to office and do the job vacation as Ottawa lifts all remaining border restrictions and gurus warn of a most likely huge wave of new COVID-19 situations this drop.

The “living with COVID” stage has viewed most mask mandates dropped, self-isolation regulations nixed and necessary place of work vaccine polices rescinded. Nevertheless as the possibility of repeat infection and very long COVID is greater understood, some personnel stress about exposure from a each day commute, travelling for conferences or working in a shared space.

Some are even leaving their positions that require business office attendance or major travel.

Ben MacLeod give up his aspiration task in excess of overall health concerns. Before this 12 months he moved again to his hometown of Halifax from Asia in look for of occupation experience and risk-free harbour during the pandemic.

Nova Scotia’s reaction to the novel coronavirus was between the most cautious in the earth and he considered it was a safe guess.

— The Canadian Push

Feds elevate border vaccine mandates, mandatory masks on planes and trains

Federal ministers say all COVID-19 border limits will finish as of Saturday, like necessary vaccinations, testing and quarantine of intercontinental travellers, as nicely as necessary masks on planes and trains.

The cupboard get preserving COVID-19 border steps will not be renewed when it expires on Sept. 30.

The modify will suggest foreign nationals no lengthier have to have an approved sequence of vaccinations to enter the place.

It also implies Canada-bound travellers will no for a longer time be matter to random required COVID-19 checks, and unvaccinated Canadians will not will need to isolate when they return to the nation.

— The Canadian Press

Popular Chinese commentator urges COVID specialists to ‘speak out’

Distinguished Chinese commentator Hu Xijin reported on Sunday that as China ponders its COVID-19 policies, epidemic experts have to have to converse out and China should to conduct in depth exploration and make any experiments transparent to the general public.

Hu’s abnormal call on Chinese social media for candour and transparency earned him 34,000 likes on the common Twitter-like microblog Weibo, as effectively as frank responses from netizens in a usually tightly policed world wide web swift to censor voices considered a hazard to social stability.

China’s top leaders warned in May well amid the COVID lockdown of Shanghai and prevalent constraints in the Chinese capital Beijing that they would struggle any remark or action that distorted, doubted or repudiated the country’s COVID procedures.

“About the future, China requires pretty rational study and calculations,” mentioned Hu, former editor-in-main of nationalist condition tabloid World Situations. “Experts should discuss out, and the state should really arrange extensive experiments and make them transparent to the community: what are the execs and cons for our frequent persons, and what are the over-all pros and drawbacks for the country?”

— Reuters

Ontario opens Omicron-focused vaccine bookings for all grownups

All adults in Ontario can now e-book an appointment to get an Omicron-specific COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday.

The province produced the bivalent vaccine readily available to its most vulnerable populations earlier this month, but said appointments to acquire the new shot would be open up to all people 18 or more than as of Sept. 26.Overall health Minister Sylvia Jones suggests getting a booster dose is primarily significant with the commence of the drop and winter respiratory sickness year.
— The Canadian Push
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COVID-19 update for Sept. 28: Here’s what you need to know

COVID-19 update for Sept. 29: Here’s what you need to know

All grown ups in Ontario can now book an appointment to receive an Omicron-targeted COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday.

The province produced the bivalent vaccine available to its most susceptible populations earlier this thirty day period, but claimed appointments to acquire the new shot would be open up to all citizens 18 or more than as of Sept. 26.Health and fitness Minister Sylvia Jones suggests getting a booster dose is especially important with the get started of the slide and winter season respiratory sickness time.— The Canadian Push

HIV spike amid B.C. drug consumers affiliated with COVID-19 lockdown, investigation says

A new study states reduced accessibility to HIV expert services throughout early COVID-19 lockdowns in British Columbia was connected with a “sharp increase” in HIV transmission among the some drug buyers.

The examine by College of British Columbia researchers suggests that while diminished social conversation in the course of the March-May well 2020 lockdown worked to reduce HIV transmission, that may well not have “outweighed” the enhance induced by decreased accessibility to solutions.

The research, released in Lancet Regional Overall health, found that much less people commenced HIV antiretroviral treatment or undertook viral load tests underneath lockdown, although visits to overdose avoidance services and secure intake web-sites also lowered.

The over-all selection of new HIV diagnoses in B.C. proceeds a a long time-extended decline.

But Dr. Jeffrey Pleasure, direct author of the report printed on Friday, said he identified a “surprising” spike in transmission amongst some drug consumers all through lockdown.

— The Canadian Push

Combat to end virus pandemic normally takes location on UN’s sidelines

In four days of fiery speeches around war, climate transform and the threat of nuclear weapons, a person problem felt like an afterthought during this year’s UN Common Assembly: the coronavirus pandemic.

Masks were being often pulled under chins — or not worn at all — and any point out of COVID-19 by globe leaders normally arrived at the tail-conclude of a extended listing of grievances.

But on the sidelines of the once-a-year meeting, the pandemic was even now very substantially part of the discussion.

On Thursday, UN Secretary-Standard Antonio Guterres gathered with Entire world Well being Corporation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNICEF Govt Director Catherine Russell and some others to discuss equitable entry to COVID vaccines, checks and solutions.

— The Involved Press

22 fatalities, 305 in clinic: Weekly facts from BCCDC

British Columbia observed 22 far more people who not too long ago examined constructive for COVID-19 die about the week of Sept. 11-17 in preliminary information unveiled by the B.C. Centre for Disease Handle on Thursday.

The number of men and women in hospital with COVID dipped a bit to 305 as of Thursday, with 22 of those in intensive treatment.

Which include up to date mortality data from several the latest months, a whole of 4,253 persons have died of COVID-19 due to the fact the starting of the pandemic.

One more 637 circumstances of COVID-19 have been verified this week, but minimal testing usually means this understates the prevalence of the virus in the population.

For a primer on how to interpret info in the BCCDC weekly reviews, click on here.

— Joseph Ruttle

What are B.C.’s present-day community wellbeing steps?

MASKS: Masks are not needed in public indoor settings nevertheless individual corporations and function organizers can select to demand them.Masks are also encouraged but not expected on board community transit and B.C. Ferries, however they are nevertheless required in federally regulated vacation house.

GATHERINGS AND Occasions: There are now no restrictions on gatherings and situations these types of as individual gatherings, weddings, funerals, worship products and services, workout and health activities, and swimming swimming pools.There are also no restrictions or potential restrictions on eating places, pubs, bars and nightclubs and no restrictions on activity routines.

Treatment Residences: There are no potential restrictions on website visitors to very long-time period care and seniors’ assisted living services, however, readers ought to exhibit proof of vaccination prior to viewing.

Exemptions are out there for kids beneath the age of 12, those with a healthcare exemption, and readers attending for compassionate visits linked to close-of-daily life. Guests to seniors’ residences are also demanded to take a swift antigen test prior to traveling to the facility or be examined on arrival. Exemptions to tests are obtainable for those people attending for compassionate visits or conclusion-of-lifestyle treatment.

How do I get vaccinated in B.C.?

Everyone who is living in B.C. and suitable for a vaccine can obtain one particular by adhering to these ways:

• Get registered on-line at gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated to book an appointment in your neighborhood.
• Or, if you prefer, you can get registered and then take a look at a drop-in clinic in your well being authority.
• The method will notify you when it is time to go for your 2nd dose.
• The similar process will also warn you when it is time for your booster dose.

Where can I get a COVID-19 take a look at?

Tests CENTRES: B.C.’s COVID-19 exam collection centres are now only tests those with signs and symptoms who are hospitalized, pregnant, thought of substantial hazard or are living/perform with those people who are significant chance. You can obtain a screening centre making use of the B.C. Centre for Ailment Control’s screening centre map.

If you have gentle signs and symptoms, you do not have to have a check and should continue to be household until your fever is long gone. Those people devoid of signs do not need to have a check.

Acquire-Dwelling Immediate ANTIGEN Assessments: Eligible British Columbians over the age of 18 with a own overall health number can take a look at a pharmacy to obtain a free of charge just take-property check package made up of five COVID-19 fast antigen checks.

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COVID-19 update for Sept. 15: Here’s what you need to know

COVID-19 update for Sept. 29: Here’s what you need to know

Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the coronavirus situation in B.C. and around the world.

Publishing date:

Sep 15, 2022  •  1 day ago  •  12 minute read  •  15 Comments

Here's your daily update with everything you need to know on the coronavirus situation in B.C. and around the world.
Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the coronavirus situation in B.C. and around the world. Photo by iStock/Getty Images Plus

Here’s your update with everything you need to know on the COVID-19 situation in B.C. and around the world for Sept. 15, 2022.

We’ll provide summaries of what’s going on right here so you can get the latest news at a glance. This page will be updated regularly every day this week, with developments added as they happen, so be sure to check back often.

You can also get the latest COVID-19 news delivered to your inbox weeknights at 7 p.m. by subscribing to our newsletter here.

Here are the latest weekly B.C. figures given on Sept. 15 for the week of Sept. 4-10:

• Hospitalized cases: 314
• Intensive care: 23
• New cases: 574 over seven days ending Sept. 10
• Total number of confirmed cases: 383,628
• Total deaths over seven days ending Sept. 10: 16 (total 4,216)

Read the full report here | Next update: Sept. 22

Headlines at a glance

• The latest COVID-19 numbers from the BC CDC show the number of people admitted to hospital with the illness is declining.
• Dr. Bonnie Henry says the findings of a study she co-authored showing high COVID-19 rates among children and youth should not be interpreted to suggest those infections occurred mostly in schools.
• The director-general of the World Health Organization said the end of the pandemic “is in sight” but “we are not there yet.”
• B.C.’s top trial court judge has dismissed four legal challenges to the province’s COVID-19 health orders.
• A study co-authored by B.C.’s top doctor says 80 per cent of kids, youth have had COVID-19.
• New research suggests at least 17 million people in the European Union may have experienced long COVID-19 symptoms during the first two years of the pandemic.
• A new study has found that the pandemic provided Canadians the opportunity to rethink their financial goals, with many moving, switching careers and planning to travel.
• An Ontario court has ruled college’s vaccine mandate is legal.
• Nunavut rolling out new COVID-19 vaccine to older residents
• New Zealand has scrapped mask wearing rules and vaccine mandate, bringing an end to some of the toughest COVID-19 pandemic rules in the world.

LATEST NEWS

B.C. reports 314 people in hospital, 16 deaths over seven days

The latest COVID-19 numbers from the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control show the number of people admitted to hospital with the illness is declining.

The weekly report says 142 people were hospitalized during the week of Sept. 4 to 10, down from 180 admissions during the previous week.

The centre’s COVID-19 dashboard shows a total of 314 patients hospitalized with the illness on Thursday, with 23 in critical care.

The weekly report from the centre for disease control also shows decreasing deaths, with 16 last week, 36 the week before and 44 during the week of Aug. 21

In April, provincial authorities began reporting COVID-19 deaths by including anyone who died from any cause within 30 days of a positive test result for the disease.

The centre says it will evaluate the cause of each person’s death retroactively to better understand “true COVID-19 mortality.”

Read the full story here.

— The Canadian Press

Some B.C. health care workers no longer need to be vaccinated, provincial health officer rules

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has dropped the requirement for private regulated health professionals to be vaccinated.

This includes dentists, opticians and naturopathic doctors.

“Given the high rates of vaccination in these professions, and the current state of the pandemic, the PHO has decided to not require private, regulated health professionals to be vaccinated at this time,” Henry said in a statement released on Thursday.

This came as the World Health Organization declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight.

Read the full story here.

— David Carrigg

Don’t blame schools for high COVID rates among B.C. youth: provincial health officer

B.C.’s provincial health officer says the findings of a study she co-authored showing children and youth have had the highest rates of COVID-19 in parts of the province should not be interpreted to suggest those infections occurred mostly in schools.

Dr. Bonnie Henry has been criticized by some parents, advocacy groups and health-care professionals who say a major jump in infections occurred during the school year among children under age 10.

They say measures like masking for all students and air filtration upgrades in schools could have been taken earlier to protect children in classrooms from a virus that was known to spread through the air.

However, Henry says some youth were becoming infected when they were not eligible for a vaccine, and illness among those under 19 was comparable with transmission of the virus in the community.

Read the full story here.

— The Canadian Press

End of COVID pandemic is ‘in sight’: WHO chief

The world has never been in a better position to end the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization said on Wednesday, his most optimistic outlook yet on the years-long health crisis which has killed over six million people.

“We are not there yet. But the end is in sight,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a virtual press conference.

That was the most upbeat assessment from the UN agency since it declared an international emergency in January 2020 and started describing COVID-19 as a pandemic three months later.

The virus, which emerged in China in late 2019, has killed nearly 6.5 million people and infected 606 million, roiling global economies and overwhelming healthcare systems.

Read the full story here.

— Reuters

B.C. Supreme Court chief judge dismisses four challenges to COVID-19 health orders

B.C.’s top trial court judge has dismissed four legal challenges to the province’s COVID-19 health orders.

In one of the cases presided over by Chief Justice Christopher Hinkson of the B.C. Supreme Court, the judge rejected a constitutional challenge to B.C.’s COVID health orders filed by a group called the Canadian Society for the Advancement of Science in Public Policy.

The society argued requiring vaccinations for health-care workers was unconstitutional and also that the orders failed to provide reasonable exemptions and accommodations for people with religious objections, vaccination risks, immunity from prior injection and recent negative COVID testing.

In ruling against the group, Hinkson found that Dr. Bonnie Henry, the provincial health officer, had assessed available scientific evidence to determine the COVID-19 risk for gatherings in B.C., including data regarding transmission of the virus globally, nationally and in B.C.

Read the full story here.

— Keith Fraser

Study co-authored by B.C.’s top doctor says 80{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} of kids, youth have had COVID-19

A study co-authored by B.C.’s top doctor says at least 70 to 80 per cent of children and youth in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have been infected with COVID-19.

The study, which lists Dr. Bonnie Henry among 13 authors, says that in contrast, 60 to 70 per cent of adults aged 20 to 59 and about 40 per cent of those aged 60 and over have been infected.

The preprint study, which has not been peer-reviewed, was published online on Sept. 9 and says a series of surveillance reports of infections were understating the actual levels of infection by 92 times.

It says the overall rate of infection rose from below 15 per cent to about 60 per cent between October last year and this August, as the highly infectious Omicron variant took hold.

The study is based on 14,000 anonymized blood samples obtained since March 2020 from a network of outpatient laboratories.

—The Canadian Press

Canadians rethinking their financial goals post-pandemic: Poll

A new study has found that the pandemic provided Canadians the opportunity to rethink their financial goals, with many moving, switching careers and planning to travel.

The study, conducted by Maru Public Opinion on behalf of CIBC in early August, found that 67 per cent of Canadians are re-evaluating their priorities as COVID-19 restrictions come to an end.

The poll asked about 1,500 randomly selected Canadian adults about their financial planning habits now and over the last two years.

Those surveyed reported having made significant life decisions during the pandemic, such as 17 per cent changing jobs and 12 per cent moving to a new home.

Looking ahead, more than one-third of Canadians say they are planning to travel within the next 12 months and 13 per cent say they are planning for a large purchase.

— The Canadian Press

WHO report: 17 million in EU may have suffered long COVID-19

New research suggests at least 17 million people in the European Union may have experienced long COVID-19 symptoms during the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic, with women more likely than men to suffer from the condition, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

The research, conducted for the WHO/Europe, was unclear on whether the symptoms that linger, recur or first appear at least one month after a coronavirus infection were more common in vaccinated or unvaccinated people. At least 17 million people met the WHO’s criteria of long COVID-19 — with symptoms lasting at least three months in 2020 and 2021, the report said.

“Millions of people in our region, straddling Europe and Central Asia, are suffering debilitating symptoms many months after their initial COVID-19 infection,” said Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, during a conference in Tel Aviv.

The modelling also suggests that women are twice as likely as men to experience long COVID-19, and the risk increases dramatically among severe infections needing hospitalization, the report said. One-in-three women and one-in-five men are likely to develop long COVID-19, according to the report.

— The Associated Press

College’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate is legal and enforceable, Ontario court rules

In a precedent-setting decision, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has upheld Seneca College’s vaccine mandate for the current school year.

A motion for an injunction against the school’s vaccine policy was issued in January 2022 by two unvaccinated Seneca students. They were represented by lawyers from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF).

The students argued that the vaccine policy contradicts instructions issued by Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health and that it violates a number of their rights under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

This decision is especially important, said Howard Levitt, one of the lawyers representing Seneca College, as it shows, even now – two and a half years into the pandemic – that vaccine mandates are legal and institutions have a right to enforce them.

In the decision, Superior Court Judge William D. Black found that Seneca College did not contradict the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health’s vaccination guidance.

—Jessica Mundie, National Post

Nunavut rolling out new COVID-19 vaccine to older residents

Nunavut says it is rolling out the newly approved bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.

The territory is now offering the booster shots to people 70 and older and all residents and staff in long-term care facilities.

It says it will expand eligibility for the vaccine as supply increases.

Residents must have received their primary series of a COVID-19 vaccine at least three months ago to be eligible for the shot.

Earlier this month, Health Canada approved Moderna’s Spikevax bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for people 18 and older.

—The Canadian Press

Ontario opens bivalent vaccine bookings for most vulnerable

Ontario is offering Omicron-targeted COVID-19 vaccines to residents considered the most vulnerable, including people aged 70 and older, long-term care residents and health-care workers.

The province says its booking system opened Monday morning for bivalent vaccines, and the first appointments can also begin starting today.

Indigenous people and their household members aged 18 and older, immunocompromised people aged 12 and older, pregnant people and health-care workers who are 18 and older are also eligible as of today.

Booster appointments will be paused for people outside those populations to accommodate distribution to the highest-priority groups.

But the province says people aged 18 and older can start booking bivalent booster appointments today for planning purposes.

The vaccine rollout comes after the province received its first shipment of the shots last week.

— The Canadian Press

New Zealand ends most COVID restrictions as pandemic worry eases

New Zealand scrapped mask wearing rules and vaccine mandates on Monday, bringing an end to some of the toughest COVID-19 pandemic rules in the world about two years after they were put in place.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a weekly news conference that it was time to safely turn the page on the country’s COVID-19 management and live without the extraordinary measures it previously used.

“Finally, rather than feeling that COVID dictates what happens to us, our lives, and our futures, we take back control,” Ardern said.

For the first time in two years we can approach summer with the much needed certainty New Zealanders and business need, helping to drive greater economic activity critical to our economic recovery,” she added.

All mask wearing requirements were removed, except in healthcare and aged care facilities. Only COVID-19 positive individuals will be required to isolate for seven days, while household contacts no longer need to, the government said in a statement.

—Reuters

What are B.C.’s current public health measures?

MASKS: Masks are not required in public indoor settings though individual businesses and event organizers can choose to require them.Masks are also encouraged but not required on board public transit and B.C. Ferries, though they are still required in federally regulated travel space.

GATHERINGS AND EVENTS: There are currently no restrictions on gatherings and events such as personal gatherings, weddings, funerals, worship services, exercise and fitness activities, and swimming pools.There are also no restrictions or capacity limits on restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs; and no restrictions on sport activities.

CARE HOMES: There are no capacity restrictions on visitors to long-term care and seniors’ assisted living facilities, however, visitors must show proof of vaccination before visiting.

Exemptions are available for children under the age of 12, those with a medical exemption, and visitors attending for compassionate visits related to end-of-life. Visitors to seniors’ homes are also required to take a rapid antigen test before visiting the facility or be tested on arrival. Exemptions to testing are available for those attending for compassionate visits or end-of-life care.

How do I get vaccinated in B.C.?

Everyone who is living in B.C. and eligible for a vaccine can receive one by following these steps:

• Get registered online at gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated to book an appointment in your community.
• Or, if you prefer, you can get registered and then visit a drop-in clinic in your health authority.
• The system will alert you when it is time to go for your second dose.
• The same system will also alert you when it is time for your booster dose.

Where can I get a COVID-19 test?

TESTING CENTRES: B.C.’s COVID-19 test collection centres are currently only testing those with symptoms who are hospitalized, pregnant, considered high risk or live/work with those who are high risk. You can find a testing centre using the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s testing centre map.

If you have mild symptoms, you do not need a test and should stay home until your fever is gone. Those without symptoms do not need a test.

TAKE-HOME RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS: Eligible British Columbians over the age of 18 with a personal health number can visit a pharmacy to receive a free take-home test kit containing five COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.

More news, fewer ads: Our in-depth journalism is possible thanks to the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 per week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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