It's been nearly six months, but the Tri-Cities' is back to an important threshold in the fight against COVID-19.
The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) says the region has returned to a 90 per cent double-vaccination rate against the virus for the first time since kids aged five to 11 became eligible for the shot.
On Nov. 29, 2021, parents and guardians with children in that group were able to begin booking first immunizations.
After the first eight weeks that followed, kids were able to receive a second shot.
As of May 8 — the latest up-to-date vaccination data available — 51 per cent of eligible kids between five and 11 years old in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra have received a second dose of vaccine against COVID-19.
That's currently the third-highest rate in all of Fraser Health.
Broken down by municipality, Port Moody kids lead the regional authority with a 58 per cent two-dose average; Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are at 51 and 48 per cent respectively.
As well, Port Coquitlam also saw a small weekly bump in its first-dose vaccination rate to 91 per cent for all residents aged five and up.
The BCCDC's 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: Three
- 15 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: Five
- 17 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: Six
- 26 per cent positivity rate
- 61 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
- 76 per cent of 50+ population vaccinated with a third dose
Port Moody–Anmore–Belcarra
- Case rate: Seven
- 26 per cent positivity rate
- 71 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
Group says second Omicron variant has peaked
The sixth wave of COVID-19 has peaked and started its decline, according to a member of the B.C. COVID-19 Modelling Group.
Sally Otto, a COVID-19 modelling expert, doesn’t use the description “sixth wave,” used throughout Canada to describe the current number of cases arising from the Omicron BA.2 sub-variant and instead refers to this period as a second Omicron wave.
"What we are seeing — which is great news — is signs that the BA.2 wave is declining," said Otto, an evolutionary biologist and mathematical modeller at UBC.
"We’re seeing [the decline] in the wastewater, we’re also seeing it in the number of cases over age 70. We’ll have a report out on Wednesday."
The decline isn’t steep, said Otto, but there was a plateau last week and the growth rate since is negative and enough to give modellers confidence it’s on a downward trend. The levels of infection for the second Omicron wave are half that of the first Omicron wave in January and February, which was the highest infection numbers so far in the pandemic, she said.
If people have the sense that many around them are getting or have recently had COVID-19 it’s because we’re dropping from sky-high levels to almost sky-high, she said.
Otto said she wouldn’t count on a summer reprieve.
"It’s not like the flu and it still has a high enough transmission rate that you can get strong waves, even in the summer season," said Otto.
Summer weather will undoubtedly bring people into more outdoor areas, where infection is less likely, but "I’m not sure that we can count on the summer without a wave," said Otto.
Meanwhile, in an effort to meet any demand that's left for a COVID-19 vaccine, Fraser Health is still offering vaccinations in Coquitlam.
The mass immunization and testing centre is set up at the Coquitlam Central SkyTrain Station (2900 Barnet Hwy.) in the 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 Cindy E. Harnett, Times Colonist
