Zero to 65 in six months.
That's the threshold the Tri-Cities has officially crossed as eligible kids aged five to 11 in the region are now at a 65 per cent rate with at least one dose of vaccine against COVID-19.
First shots were made available to the age group in November 2021, averaging a near 11 per cent growth in each month since among young children living in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra.
Tied with Delta, it's the third-highest rate for the age group compared to other jurisdictions within Fraser Health behind Burnaby (69 per cent) and New Westminster (68 per cent).
And half of those kids in the Tri-Cities (50 per cent) have elected to get a second jab in the shoulder to better protect themselves from the virus — also the third highest in Fraser Health.
The data was collected and published by the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), as of April 24.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Tri-Cities has also reached a significant plateau for triple vaccinations.
Eligible residents aged 50 and older have now surpassed a 75 per cent rate for booster doses with Port Moody–Anmore–Belcarra leading local municipalities at 78 per cent.
The latest surveillance numbers 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: Five
- 22 per cent positivity rate
- 67 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 89 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 73 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Southwest Coquitlam
- Case rate: Seven
- 26 per cent positivity rate
- 64 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 94 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 91 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 75 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Southeast Coquitlam
- Case rate: Three
- 14 per cent positivity rate
- 63 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 91 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 88 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 74 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Coquitlam
- Case rate: Seven
- 23 per cent positivity rate
- 61 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 90 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 88 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 76 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Moody-Anmore-Belcarra
- Case rate: Six
- 20 per cent positivity rate
- 70 per cent of five to 11 population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 92 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with at least one dose
- 90 per cent of 5+ population vaccinated with a second dose
- 78 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Moderna applies to approve kids' vaccine
So while Tri-City kids continue to make progress on vaccinations against COVID-19, some might be wondering when even younger children might have the chance.
Last week, Moderna formally applied to Health Canada in seeking approval to administer its vaccine in children six months to five years. But, based on the uptake for pediatric vaccination so far, it remains an open question whether B.C. parents would embrace the option.
Province wide, just 42 per cent of B.C. children aged five to 11 have received two doses of pediatric vaccine, up just a smidgen from 41 per cent last week.
The latest BCCDC numbers show the 0-4 age group — all of whom are unvaccinated — with significantly higher case rates, hospitalizations and critical care admissions than older children.
Between March 27 and April 23, children younger than five accounted for 332 of B.C.'s official, publicly recorded cases of COVID-19. Of those, 34 children were hospitalized and seven were admitted to critical care.
For the five-to-11 group, those numbers drop significantly, with just 99 official, publicly recorded cases: 54 among unvaccinated children, 25 among those with one dose, and 20 among those with two doses.
The same age group saw just five hospitalizations (one unvaccinated child, and four with one dose), and two critical care admissions (one unvaccinated and one with one dose).
No pediatric deaths were reported.
Meanwhile, Fraser Health is continuing to meet what demand is left for COVID-19 vaccinations in the Tri-Cities with its Coquitlam clinic.
The authority's mass immunization and testing centre is set up at Coquitlam Central SkyTrain Station (2900 Barnet Hwy.), in its park-and-ride overflow lot, under the following operating hours:
- 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- 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
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 also visit the province's website for more information on its COVID-19 immunization plan.
A multi-vaccination clinic is also in place at the Poirier Admin Building (640 Poirier St.), giving parents and guardians with kids as young as four months old the chance to receive a number of different vaccinations.
This includes:
- COVID-19 vaccine
- For eligible children and adolescents aged five and older
- Tdap-IPV vaccine
- Protects against tetanus diphtheria, whooping cough and polio
- MMRV vaccine
- Protects against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox
- with files from Julie MacLellan, New West Record
