Less than half of children aged five to 11 in the Howe Sound region have had their second COVID-19 immunization, according to this week’s BC Centre for Disease Control data.
The data for the site is currently updated once a week on Thursdays.
There is no specific data for Squamish. Instead, the district is lumped into the Howe Sound region, which includes Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton.
With everyone over five years old considered, 98% of those eligible in the Howe Sound region have had their first dose, and 92% have had their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of April 24.
Of those five to 11 years old, 62% have had their first pediatric shot, while 44% have had a second shot.
A spokesperson for Vancouver Coastal Health told The Squamish Chief that booster — or third — doses are not being rolled out for children aged five to 11.
“Our focus is on encouraging parents and guardians with unvaccinated or partially vaccinated children to get their child full[y] immunized against the virus — two doses for children without [immunocompromising] conditions,” the spokesperson said in an email to The Squamish Chief. “Children aged five to 11 who have a moderate to severe [immunocompromising] condition[s] are currently recommended to get a third dose vaccine. Children with moderately to severely compromised immune systems will generally have lower antibody responses from two COVID-19 vaccine doses. A third dose may help to create the antibodies they need to protect them from COVID-19.”
Of those aged 12 to 17 years old in the Howe Sound region, 96% have had a first dose and 92% have had a second dose. In that age group, 34% have had a third shot.
Looking at just those18-year-olds and older, almost 100% of those eligible have had a first shot, 97% of all adults have had their second dose. Of all adults in our region, 56% have had a third or booster dose.
Provincially, according to the COVID-19 Tracker Canada 90% of people five and over have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to date; 87% have received at least two doses, and 52% of all people in B.C. have received a third dose.
The spokesperson for VCH noted those five years of age and older who are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination still have many opportunities to get immunized — through clinics, pharmacies or at their school.
The next Vancouver Coastal Health vaccination clinic is set for May 10 and 18 at the Squamish Sea To Sky Hotel (40330 Tantalus Road, Garibaldi Highlands)
Appointments are required at all clinics to receive booster doses and for children ages 5 to 11.
Clinics accept folks on a drop-in basis for a first or second dose on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on your eligibility and vaccine availability, according to the health authority.
The Squamish clinics run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and then again from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
“Two doses of vaccine continues to provide very good protection against serious illness and hospitalization for the majority of British Columbians,” the VCH spokesperson said.
“While we are pleased over 90% of our region is fully vaccinated, we continue to encourage those who are unvaccinated, or who have had just one dose, to strongly consider getting vaccinated. You can book an appointment through the ImmsBC platform or walk into a local clinic in your community,” the spokesperson said.
“We appreciate the ongoing support of healthcare providers and allied health professionals in continuing to offer low-barrier COVID-19 vaccination to those who need them.”
The data up until today shows that there are now 570 people in B.C. hospitals who have tested positive for the coronavirus, up by 85 from the 485 hospitalized COVID-19 patients one week ago. Of those, 47 are in ICUs, up from 38 one week ago.
~With a file from Glen Korstrom/Glacier Media
