Local COVID-19 cases are moving in the right direction, according to the latest data.
The Tri-Cities saw its first decrease in two weeks to 33 weekly recorded local infections of COVID-19 between March 20 and 26.
This is a 33 per cent drop from the previous count of 49 from March 13 to 19, which was an uptick of 11 per cent the week after B.C. officially lifted its mask mandate for public spaces.
The data was published today (March 31) by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) in its latest Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence report.
The stats are recorded amid tighter testing restrictions put in place by provincial public health officials.
The middle of summer was the last time the Tri-Cities recorded this few COVID-19 cases.
Between July 25 and 31, there were a total of 27 infections across Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra before the trend went up to 45 during the first full week of August.
The BCCDC's new report also comes a week before the province is set to lift its mandatory vaccination requirement for non-essential ticketed gatherings.
At 12:01 a.m. on April 8, the B.C. vaccine card will no longer be needed to get into restaurants, major sporting events or concerts among other related events, which has been in place since Sept. 13, 2021.
Businesses are also set to transition from COVID-19 safety plans to communicable disease plans.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has previously stated that the timeline for removing health measures depends on the current epidemiological situation in B.C. and the province is taking a slow and measured approach.
The Tri-Cities' 33 local cases is the second-highest in the Fraser Health authority; Surrey recorded 79.
Only two B.C. sub-regions recorded triple-digit infection figures between March 20 and 26; Central Okanagan at 135 and Victoria at 123.
VACCINATION UPDATE
There were some bumps in vaccinations across the Tri-Cities in the latest data available by the BCCDC, primarily in Coquitlam.
First, second and booster doses bumped by one per cent across several categories: 91 and 88 per cent in southwest and southeast sub-regions respectively among all eligible residents aged five years and older.
There's also a 72 per cent booster-dose average among those over 50 in northern Coquitlam, as well as a small single-shot jump to 92 per cent in the same neighbourhood.
Port Coquitlam was also the final Tri-City neighbourhood to reach a 60 per cent average of at least one inoculation against COVID-19 among kids aged five to 11 since second doses were approved for that group on Jan. 24.
Combined, the Tri-Cities hold 92 and 89 per cent single- and double-vaccination rates against the virus for all those eligible in the health area.
And those who haven't received a vaccine and are still interested in receiving one can do so at two Tri-City locations.
Coquitlam is still the hub in the Tri-Cities for those looking to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
The demand appears to be slowly fading away, but Fraser Health is keeping some of its major immunization and testing centres open for the time-being.
The Coquitlam Central SkyTrain Station's park-and-ride overflow lot has reduced its operating hours as an immunization and testing centre:
- 2900 Barnet Hwy.
- 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- 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
Since March 14, the Poirier Admin Building (640 Poirier St.) has been serving as a children's multi-vaccination clinic.
Parents looking to get their kids immunized as young as four months old can visit the site to receive one of several vaccines, including:
- COVID-19 vaccine
- For eligible children and adolescents aged five and older
- Tdap-IPV vaccine
- Protects against tetanus diphtheria, whooping cough and polio
- MMRV vaccine
- Protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox
Anyone seeking a vaccine against COVID-19 is encouraged to register via B.C.'s GetVaccinated online portal or call 1-833-838-2323.
You can also visit the province's website for more information on its COVID-19 immunization plan.
