The province’s push last week to get people immunized against influenza seems to have paid off.

More than 77,500 people were vaccinated against influenza from Dec. 5 to Dec. 11, 2022, including more than 42,000 people who were vaccinated during the weekend's influenza-vaccine walk-in clinic blitz.

This was part of the government's efforts to support people and families with children to get vaccinated before the holidays. The effort resulted in approximately 1.6 million individuals, or 30% of the general population aged six months and older, having now received the influenza vaccine in B.C.

Several respiratory viruses are causing illness in B.C. and slamming the province’s ERs. BC Children’s Hospital is getting set to start double-bunking patients in single-occupancy rooms. The hospital is also asking families to limit the number of visitors in shared rooms.

Influenza and COVID-19 immunizations are free for everyone six months and older.