It appears more and more residents across the Tri-Cities are receiving, booking and getting vaccinated with a COVID-19 booster shot.
In the last seven-day reporting period, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) says 33 per cent of those living in the region aged 12 years and older have been jabbed with a third dose of vaccine against the virus.
This marks a near 10 per cent increase in the rate average amid the Omicron variant.
Compared to the previous count, there was just a 14 per cent increase in third-dose inoculations in the four weeks between Dec. 14 and Jan. 11.
B.C. public health officials switched to an interval system rather than by age for its booster roll-out program on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31).
Broken down, 76 per cent of eligible seniors (70+) in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra have requested and received a third dose, as well as 54 per cent for those aged 50 and older.
At the other end of the spectrum, 54 per cent of Tri-City children between the ages of five and 11 have been vaccinated with their first dose against COVID-19 — the fourth-highest in all of Fraser Health.
The Tri-Cities also has a 91 per cent double-vaccination rate among those aged 12 and up, as well as a 93 per cent single-dose rate.
The latest surveillance numbers — collected between Jan. 11-17, 2022, by the BCCDC — are as follows. Case rates represent new cases per 100,000 people by local health area and community health service area:
North Coquitlam
- Case rate: 31 (-56)
- 42 per cent positivity rate
- 55 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 93 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 91 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 72 per cent of 70+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Southwest Coquitlam
- Case rate: 30 (-45)
- 39 per cent positivity rate
- 52 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 95 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 93 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 77 per cent of 70+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Southeast Coquitlam
- Case rate: 29 (-48)
- 39 per cent positivity rate
- 51 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 90 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 76 per cent of 70+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Coquitlam
- Case rate: 37 (-51)
- 34 per cent positivity rate
- 49 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 90 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 76 per cent of 70+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
- Case rate: 33 (-47)
- 41 per cent positivity rate
- 63 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 93 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 12+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 80 per cent of 70+ population vaccinated with a third dose
NO ACTIVE OUTBREAKS
As of Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 18), there are no outbreaks of COVID-19 at Tri-City health-care facilities.
Fraser Health declared the latest outbreak over within the elder acute-care unit at Port Moody's Eagle Ridge Hospital, nearly a week after the alert ended at Port Coquitlam's Hawthorne Lodge.
Eight lab-confirmed cases were reported among five patients and three staff members, during the 13-day alert.
Since the pandemic began, 56 COVID-19 infections were detected over four outbreaks at Eagle Ridge Hospital.
Six people have died at the facility due to complications with the virus — all during the first declaration in March 2021.
As well, there have been three known COVID-19 outbreaks in Eagle Ridge Manor throughout the course of the pandemic, which is a long-term care facility at the hospital.
Between November 2020 and February 2021, seven total cases of the virus were detected including five staff members; no deaths were recorded.
VACCINE CLINICS
The Port Coquitlam Community Centre (PCCC) is in its final days as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in completing its interim service for Fraser Health amid the Omicron variant.
Eligible residents of all ages have until Saturday (Jan. 22) to book an appointment to receive a dose against the virus at the recreation facility (2150 Wilson Ave.) — open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Afterwards, the Poirier Forum in Coquitlam is set to reopen once again as a larger vaccination clinic on Tuesday (Jan. 25).
Fraser Health says the PCCC is currently administering first, second and third doses against COVID-19 and the clinc's manager Heather Esau told the Tri-City News the response has been positive.
"People are happy to be here, we're happy to meet this need for them," she said in an earlier interview.
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 visit the province's website for more information on its COVID-19 immunization plan.
For more information about the PCCC and it's amenities, you can visit the City of Port Coquitlam's website.
Meanwhile, the immunization clinic and testing centre at Coquitlam Central SkyTrain station's park and ride overflow lot also remains open.
The operating hours and entry instructions are as follows:
- 2900 Barnet Hwy.
- 9:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. = Monday to Friday
- 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. = Saturdays and Sundays
- 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
New COVID-19 vaccine clinic opens inside Port Coquitlam Community Centre https://t.co/NbOGtAaXwH pic.twitter.com/1iDOytUpNC
— Tri-City News (@TriCityNews) January 13, 2022
