Vaccination proving to help reduce severe illness, hospitalization with Omicron

While COVID-19 cases continue to climb in B.C., the province’s top doctor is encouraged by findings of vaccination protection.

During Tuesday’s COVID-19 update, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said cases of infection under the Omicron variant have risen in the vaccinated population.

She said that was expected with the new variant being much more transmissible than previous strains, but she remains encouraged by findings of vaccine protection against Omicron.

“The majority of hospitalizations, and in particular the majority of people who are in our [intensive care units] needing critical care continue to be people who don’t have that protection that vaccination gives by priming our immune systems,” said Henry

“The way the virus is spreading right now, people who don’t have that additional protection don’t also have the same protection from reduced transmission through community immunity, that halo protection from everybody else being vaccinated, and this is one of those challenges that we’re facing right now with Omicron, because people who are vaccinated do have good, strong protection against hospitalization and severe illness.”

She noted that, as of Tuesday, two British Columbians in their 20s and one in their 30s are in critical care due to COVID-19. All three of these individuals are unvaccinated.

“That is a preventable illness. It creates a lot of distress for our health-care workers to be caring for young people and seeing them in so much distress when it can be prevented,” said Henry.

Henry added that the age-adjusted risk for hospitalization is currently around 35 per 100,000 people if unvaccinated, compared to four per 100,000 for fully vaccinated individuals. This is a factor people need to take in consideration for their own health and for their community’s health, she said.

Data from B.C., Canada, and other countries around the world shows the risk of severe illness, hospitalization or death is reduced by 60 to 70 per cent in the six months following the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, said Henry.

“So that’s great, that really is important right now with this variant, even though it is probably milder overall. That protection against hospitalization is critical with the very high numbers of transmission we’re seeing right now,” said Henry.

“And that protection from hospitalization, severe illness and death increases once again back up to the high 80s to 90s per cent after that third or booster dose.”

She noted that provincial data has shown increased new cases of infections in vaccinated people, but says that is expected as more than 83 per cent of all eligible British Columbians have received their second jabs.

Data from studies in Denmark and the United Kingdom have also found vaccinated people are less likely to transmit the virus.

“So the sum of it is, if you are vaccinated you have less risk of infection; particularly after your booster, you’re much more likely to have milder illness; to not need hospital care, to not need ICU care and to not die from this virus, and the risk that you’re going to pass it on to others is dramatically reduced compared to people who don’t have that protection.”

Henry added that as new cases continue to come in at very high levels, businesses should be following their COVID safety plans to ensure their operations aren’t hindered by infected staff members. She also stated that individuals should be doing their own personal risk assessment.

“Determining what is safer for us right now and what should be paused for this period of time when we know there’s a lot of transmission happening around us so that we can continue to do those critical things like going to work, and ensuring our children can continue to go to school.”

She noted that people should continue to take additional measures around those most vulnerable, including the elderly and the immunocompromised, and that those with health problems should be extra cautious during this time of high transmission.

The doctor noted that this wave has been fast moving, and encourages people to do their part to reduce the risk of spread and it’s impacts on the health-care system in order to move through this wave quickly.