Province Assures Immunizations Will Help Keep People Safe This Holiday Season

The province’s health officer wants people to get immunized ahead of the holidays.

Dr. Bonnie Henry says influenza levels continue to increase throughout the province.

“We want everyone in B.C. to be safe as they gather this holiday season,” said Dr. Henry.

“That is why continuing to practice healthy habits is so important, so people can focus on connecting and celebrating during the coming weeks.”

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) activity also continues to increase, and test positivity remains high among children.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 test positivity, cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have decreased since early October. As of last Thursday, there were 182 patients in hospital with COVID-19, 17 of them in critical care.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says since the launch of the immunization campaign in October, almost half (46%) of the provincial population of people aged 80 and older have their updated COVID-19 vaccination.

This year’s respiratory illness immunization campaign was launched to the general population on Oct. 10, 2023.

As of the end of day on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, B.C. had administered 1,443,752 doses of influenza vaccines and 1,289,849 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

B.C. says it has the highest vaccination rates in Canada.

Island Health has administered 313,697 influenza vaccines, compared to 321,701 last year, and 297,043 COVID-19 vaccines, compared to 246,308 last year.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.