Vaccination key to preventing illness and hospitalizations: Dr. Henry

Dec 14, 2021 | 4:02 PM Liam Verster

B.C.’s provincial health officer is urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as ongoing research is confirming its effectiveness at preventing hospitalization and death.

During her weekly COVID-19 update, Dr. Bonnie Henry presented updated statistics that show the majority of new cases and cases resulting in hospitalizations are in people who have not yet received a vaccine.

The new data presented Tuesday shows that, while COVID-19 cases in B.C. have been declining since the August-September spike, the unvaccinated still have high infection levels.

The data shows the highest daily case rates for the unvaccinated is in the 12–17 age group at approximately 35 cases per 100,000 people. That is followed by the 18–39 age group at about 30 per 100,000, then the 9–11 age group at around 25 per 100,000.

Comparatively, the 30–59 and 18–39 age groups in the vaccinated category share the highest daily case rates at five per 100,000.

Looking at all age groups, Henry notes that 73 per cent of all British Columbians have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, 19 per cent, which includes the roughly nine per cent of British Columbians who are under the age of five and are ineligible for a vaccine, remain unvaccinated.

However, the data shows that small percentage of unvaccinated people accounted for 54 per cent of new cases, 68 per cent of hospitalizations, 78 per cent of intensive care patients, and 51 per cent of deaths between Nov. 9 and Dec. 9.

“If we look at age-adjusted data that we have from here in B.C., it tells us that if you’re a 50-year-old person that is unvaccinated, you’re seven times more likely to get infected with COVID-19: you’re 30 times more likely to end up in hospital; and 50 times more likely to end up in ICU than your partner, your friend, your colleague who’s vaccinated at the same age,” said Henry

“This is important. This is what we need to focus our attention on, making sure we’re all protected so that we’re not ending up in hospital. We don’t have to go through the issues that we know lead to long-term side effects, lead to long COVID, all of the other things that happen when you’re infected with this nasty virus.”

The latest modelling data suggests a worst-case scenario involving Omicron would be two-thousand new cases per day by the end of the month, and a best-case scenario of one-thousand a day by mid-January.

Henry noted that since the booster shot program was rolled out, the amount of both new cases and breakthrough cases resulting in hospitalization, particularly in the hardest hit age group of those aged 70 and older, have been on the decline. She said the province continues to expand its booster program to ensure people can remain protected against the virus and not put any more strain on the health-care system.

Additionally, Henry said that 40 per cent of the children aged five to 11 who have been registered have either received a COVID-19 vaccine or have had an appointment booked to receive one. She noted the importance of this as B.C. saw 505 new cases and one hospitalization in the five to 11 age group between Dec. 2 and 8. During that same time, there were 124 cases in children aged 0 to four and 128 in the 12–17 age group and no hospitalizations in either group.

It was also noted that there had been a total of 58 children aged 12–17 hospitalized in B.C. due to COVID-19, but none of those hospitalizations were among the fully vaccinated.

Henry said while most cases in children result in mild symptoms, they can transmit the virus to someone who would be more vulnerable to the illness, including elderly family members, and she again urged parents and guardians to register their children for a vaccine.

Henry noted that, in addition to being vaccinated, people should be careful this holiday season to not expose themselves to high-transmission scenarios such as parties and gatherings with strangers, and to maintain current masking, distancing and hand washing practices.

Henry said the province will not be bringing in any new regulations over the holidays, but does ask that people be careful, especially if travelling outside of their community to visit friends or family members.