Wednesday May 19, 2021 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Editor | Island Social Trends
Now BC teen age 12 to 17 years may register to get vaccinated against COVID-19. More details coming tomorrow May 20, according to a BC Health news release late this afternoon.
In the west shore and Sooke, the SD62 School District says: “We have always supported Island Health as well as our families and will continue to do so during this next stage in the vaccination process,” said SD62 Superintendent Scott Stinson in a statement to Island Social Trends this evening.
So far it’s not known whether vaccinations will be given within schools or if families will need to take children to immunization centres.
As far as messaging home to families: “We will send out the information guided by Island Health once we receive it,” says SD62 media relations officer Lindsay Vogan. That information will likely outline all the details for how, when and where teens can get their first dose of COVID vaccine.
More information May 20:
Tomorrow’s information will likely be announced during the joint media session that will be held by Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix.
Usually that session is held at 3 pm, but on days with more information to review it sometimes held at 1 pm or 2 pm. Tomorrow’s session will be at 2 pm, led by Premier John Horgan.
Vaccination levels in BC:
Children and youth have been left to last for vaccination in BC (and around the world), as clinical trials were done and results assessed. To date only adults have been vaccinated (age 18+), and that tally is presently at 2,623,907 people across BC (435,501 in Island Health) or about 61% of the adult population.
COVID cases in children & youth:
As of today’s BC Centre for Disease Control statistics (May 19), there have been 23,644 people under 18 with test-positive cases of COVID-19 in BC. Of those, 951 cases (4%) have been on Vancouver Island.
COVID cases in children and teens, pandemic to date (to May 19, 2021):
- Age 0 to 9 years – 7,819 in BC (365 in Island Health)
- Age 10 to 19 years – 14,874 in BC (586 in Island Health)
May 19 COVID stats:
As of today, there are still 4,815 active cases of COVID-19 in BC, with 167 of those in Island Health. There are 340 people in hospital with COVID-19 in BC (11 in Island Health) of whom 118 are in ICU (three in Island Health).
The positivity rate has jumped up in Island Health today (to 3.2 from 2.0 yesterday). There was one more death yesterday in Island Health, bringing the total to 40; in total there have been 1,658 deaths by COVID in BC pandemic-to-date (eight new today).
