When it comes to leading the charge in administering vaccines against COVID-19, there are now two Tri-City sub-regions at the helm.
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra showed promise in the race to 90 per cent immunization rate for both first and second doses, but southwest Coquitlam has since stepped up to the plate and surged its numbers in the same categories.
Each surveillance area now posts an 89 per cent vaccination rate for eligible residents aged 12 years and older with at least one jab in the shoulder.
For two doses, it's 84 and 83 per cent for Port Moody and southwest Coquitlam respectively — the other three are not far behind with all five, as of this publication (Sept. 16), currently averaging 82.2 per cent.
Port Coquitlam is the only neighbourhood in double digits with an average case rate of 10. Case rates are new cases per 100,000 people by local health area and community health service area.
The new data collected by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) between Sept. 7 and 13 is broken down as follows:
North Coquitlam
- Case rate: Seven
- Three per cent positivity rate
- 87 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 82 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Southwest Coquitlam
- Case rate: Seven
- Three per cent positivity rate
- 89 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 83 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Southeast Coquitlam
- Case rate: Eight
- Three per cent positivity rate
- 87 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 81 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Port Coquitlam
- Case rate: 10
- Five per cent positivity rate
- 87 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 81 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
- Case rate: Seven
- Four per cent positivity rate
- 89 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 84 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
Of the 3,991,888 B.C. residents who have received one dose of vaccine, more than 91.3 per cent, or 3,644,716 are fully vaccinated, with two doses.
The province estimated in July its total population is 5,147,712, so Glacier Media's calculation is that more than 77.5 per cent of B.C.'s total population has had at least one dose of vaccine, and 70.8 per cent of the province's total population has had two doses.
Government estimates are that 86.1 per cent of B.C.'s eligible population, older than 12 years, has received one dose of vaccine, while 78.6 per cent of that population is fully vaccinated with two doses.
During the week of Sept. 7 through 13, people not fully vaccinated accounted for 76.5 per cent of new cases. Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 13, not fully vaccinated individuals accounted for 87.3 per cent of hospitalizations, government data show.
This indicates that a small fraction of the population is responsible for the vast majority of new cases and hospitalizations.
The 4,935 cases in the week ended Sept. 13 included:
- 3,375 unvaccinated (68.4 per cent)
- 400 partially vaccinated (8.1 per cent)
- 1,160 fully vaccinated (23.5 per cent)
Of the 387 hospitalizations in the two weeks ended Sept. 13, there were:
- 316 not vaccinated (81.7 per cent)
- 22 partially vaccinated (5.7 per cent)
- 49 fully vaccinated (12.7 per cent)
WOULD YOU LIKE A VACCINE?
Tri-City residents aged 12 and older who still need a vaccine against COVID-19 only have one place to go to get jabbed.
The Coquitlam Central Station Park and Ride overflow lot is taking walk-ins for first or second doses as capacity and supplies allow, and is under new operating hours to accommodate Fraser Health's strategy shift for the fall.
It's open seven days a week as follows:
- 2900 Barnet Hwy.
- 9:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. = Monday to Friday
- 9:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. = Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
- Entrance off Mariner Way – east side of Rona. Proceed down the ramp and turn right
- The address will direct you to the main lot on the left but COVID-19 Services are located in the overflow lot to the right
- Do not cut through the Rona parking lot. Please follow the signs
As of this publication, there are no special-event clinics scheduled for the Tri-Cities.
B.C. VACCINE CARD
The B.C. Vaccine Card program is now in effect and applications for eligible residents have been open since Sept. 7.
The system allows vaccinated individuals to attend "discretionary" events and businesses, including weddings, ticketed sporting events, concerts and restaurants with liquor and table services.
Essential services do not require proof of vaccination. This includes grocery stores and fast-food restaurants or voting locations for the 2021 federal election on Monday (Sept. 20).
However, until Sept. 26, British Columbians can still use the wallet-sized paper immunization cards issued to them when they received their vaccine doses if they wish to enter businesses or events without the digital card or print-out copy of the QR code.
By Oct. 24, residents are expected to be fully vaccinated to access non-essential services.
For more information, you're encouraged to visit the vaccine card page of the B.C. government's website.
- with files from Glen Korstrom, Business In Vancouver
