Curve continues to bend as B.C. reports 165 new cases of COVID-19 and no additional deaths

The seven day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases in B.C. continuedto fall Tuesday, as the province recorded 165 new cases of the virus and no new deaths.

In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dixsaid there are currently 2,051 active cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus in B.C.

A total of 203people are in hospital, with57 in intensive care.

Overall hospitalizations, which typically lag behind spikes and dips in new cases, are down by 20per cent from last Tuesday, when 254people were in hospital with the disease.

The number of patients in intensive care is down by about 29per cent from 80a week ago.

The provincialdeath toll from the disease remains at1,722 lives lost out of 145,695 confirmed cases.

An outbreak at the Brookside Lodge in Surrey, the second outbreak at the long-term care facility over the course of the pandemic, has now been declared over.

So far, 3.7 milliondoses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, with about 71.9 per cent of eligible British Columbiansover the age of 12 havingreceived a first dose and345,508, a secondjab. On Monday,31,262 second doses were administered, a new high for second doses delivered in a single day.

"It is very encouraging to see a steady increase in the number of people in our province who are protected with a COVID-19 vaccine," Henry and Dix said."And now, more and more people are fully vaccinated with both of their doses."

'On track' to relaxrestrictions

On Monday, Deputy Provincial Health Officer Rka Gustafson signalledthat the end of the province's emergency response to COVID-19 is in sight.

Gustafson said public health officials are starting to plan a move away from managing COVID-19 as an emergency.

As cases decline and vaccination rates rise, she said she has hope the virus will soon become "an expertly managed communicable disease that we rarely hear about" like other illnesses.

Addressing questions aboutB.C.'s four-step plan to reopen the province, Gustafson said "we are on track" to move on to Step 2 on the target date ofJune 15.

That would mean no more travel restrictions within the province and outdoor social gatherings with up to 50 people would be allowed.

"We are on a good path to get back to work, to school, to university, to seeing friends, to travelling," she said.

Book a shot, get a shot

Any eligible British Columbianwho hasnot booked an appointment for their first vaccine dose is encouraged to do so immediately.

Anyone aged 12 and older can register in three ways to be immunized against COVID-19:

• Online through the new"Get Vaccinated" portal.
• By calling 1-833-838-2323. Translators are available in 140languages.
• In person at anyService B.C. location.
• Read more about registration here.

Those who received their vaccine before the Get Vaccinated portal launched on April 6 would have booked through the oldsystem and would not have beenregistered with the province's current onlineregistration system.

Those people need toregister nowto receive an email or text notification of their second dose appointment.

Health officials continue to remind British Columbians who received AztraZeneca-Oxford as a first dose that they can choose to either received the same vaccine for their second dose, or have one of the mRNA vaccines.

"Take the time to think through your options so you are ready when your eight weeks come up, and it is your turn. Whether you return to your pharmacy or go to a mass clinic for an mRNA vaccine, there is enough vaccine for everyone," Henry and Dix said.

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) says, where warranted, people maymixand matchAstraZeneca-Oxford, Pfizer-BioNTechand Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

However, when it comes to people aged 12 to 17,Pfizer is still the only vaccine approved for use.