There are a number of factors that could be used to describe the lower number of COVID-19 cases detected in the Tri-Cities.
Regardless, vaccinations or otherwise, the trend is moving in the right direction as a total of 135 new infections were found between May 11 and 17, the latest data among new public information provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
Earlier this week, the organization unveiled a more detailed breakdown compared to previous mapping and related charts. This followed a leaked report that showed provincial health officials were withholding information from the public and Dr. Bonnie Henry’s promise of more neighbourhood-specific data.
Via a Tableau Public format, its breaks down the Tri-Cities into five distinct regions:
- North Coquitlam
- Southwest Coquitlam
- Southeast Coquitlam
- Port Coquitlam
- Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
According to the numbers, these areas combined for a 7.4 week-to-week case rate between May 11 and 17, which is currently the third lowest of other regions in Fraser Health. Agassiz/Harrison (2.6) and South Surrey/White Rock (4.1) are the lowest in the authority.
On Thursday (May 20), the BCCDC’s the latest Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence153 cases between May 9 and 15
The broken data — between May 11 and 17 — in the five neighbourhoods are as follows:
North Coquitlam
- 14 cases
- 3.6% positivity rate
- 50% of 18+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 77% of 50+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
Southwest Coquitlam
- 59 cases
- 5.4% positivity rate
- 60% of 18+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 81% of 50+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
Southeast Coquitlam
- 16 cases
- 4.3% positivity rate
- 62% of 18+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 80% of 50+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
Port Coquitlam
- 37 cases
- 4.3% positivity rate
- 68% of 18+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 82% of 50+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
- Nine cases
- 2.5% positivity rate
- 65% of 18+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 83% of 50+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
The information also comes as Fraser Health begins to use social media influencers to ensure younger people get vaccinated.
The campaign called Fight the FOMO. Register, Book, Get the Shot. features shots of people enjoying movies and concerts and asks people to “Picture an Immunized World.”
The idea is that the sooner everyone gets a shot the sooner people can hang out with friends, be with family and even travel.
“We developed this campaign by working closely with our young adult influencers in our region,” says Dr. Victoria Lee, president and CEO of Fraser Health.
“We look forward to more young people registering, booking and getting their shots as quickly as possible so that we can put the pandemic behind us.”
Meanwhile, youth 12 years and older are eligible to have a vaccine.
School District 43 (SD43) institutions recently hit with a COVID-19 exposure are as follows:
Port Coquitlam
- Irvine Elementary: May 11-12, 2021
- Kilmer Elementary: May 10-14, 17-18, 2021
- Pitt River Middle: May 10-11, 17, 2021
Coquitlam
- Glen Elementary: May 11
- Gleneagle Secondary: May 7 and 12, 2021
- Maple Creek Middle: May 11, 13-14, 2021
- Miller Park Elementary: May 12-14, 2021
- Montgomery Middle: May 11-14, 2021
- RC MacDonald Elementary: May 17-18, 2021
- Riverside Secondary: May 14, 2021
- Walton Elementary: May 13
Port Moody
- Glenayre Elementary: May 12
- Heritage Woods Secondary: May 11-13, 2021
- with a file from Diane Strandberg, Tri-City News
