A record number of people in British Columbia are lining up for flu and COVID-19 shots, as the province heads into the fall respiratory illness season, says provincial health officer Bonnie Henry.
The first priority round of invitations — including for seniors and extremely immune-compromised individuals — started going out to those registered on the province’s Get Vaccinated system two weeks ago, with shots starting on Oct. 15, Henry said at the B.C. legislature press theatre on Tuesday.
That first day of flu and COVID shots set a single-day record, with 82,000 shots administered through B.C. pharmacies — 50,000 shots for the flu, and about 32,000 for COVID-19.
The vaccines, which are free and available to everyone six months or older, have been updated for both influenza and COVID-19, including new mRNA vaccines that target the KP.2 COVID variant.
Flu and COVID shots can be administered at the same time at the same appointment.
Henry said the opening week of immunizations broke the previous year’s record, with pharmacies delivering over 369,000 vaccine dose, beating the previous year’s first-week total by almost 4,000 doses.
She said the total number represents about 141,000 updated COVID vaccines and 228,000 influenza doses.
At the respiratory season update, Henry was asked about a promise by Conservative Leader John Rustad to fire the provincial health officer over vaccine mandates for health-care workers.
In response, she said her office is independent and her role is to serve whatever government is in power.
“If the party decides that they would prefer somebody who is more aligned with them, that is their prerogative to do that.”
The outcome of the election is still up in the air after neither the NDP nor the Conservatives won enough seats for a majority.
Henry said her goal is to protect the health of everybody in British Columbia, so the work of her office, including ensuring people have access to the vaccines, will continue.
With respect to Rustad’s criticisms, Henry said it’s easy to forget the state of “great uncertainty” at the height of the COVID pandemic, when people in care homes were dying.
“The one thing that I am absolutely certain of is the fact that the vaccines that we had and the ability to provide protection through immunization is what got us through this pandemic and is what’s needed, so that we can live with this virus and stop some of the restrictions that were necessary at a time when we didn’t have the protection from vaccines.”
B.C. has ordered 2.2 million doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines and 2.3 million doses of the new influenza vaccine for the 2024-25 respiratory illness season, including enhanced influenza vaccines for seniors.
The Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines — both mRNA vaccines — target the KP.2 variant, while the protein-based Novavax vaccine targets the JN.1 variant, a predecessor to KP.2. Some people want the protein-based vaccine because it’s the more traditional type of vaccine, but B.C. has yet to receive requested supplies.
“In the meantime, we know the mRNA vaccines are the most updated strains available, and that they are very safe and effective for everybody,” said Henry.
Henry said the province is seeing cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) going back to a normal, pre-pandemic pattern. The viruses typically increase in late November to early December, she said.
So far, much of the increased traffic in doctors’ offices and emergency departments is related to common-cold viruses such as enterovirus and rhinoviruses, said Henry. Depending on future levels, measures including masking in health-care facility care areas may be required.
Cases of COVID, however, have remained elevated through the summer “and never did go back to what we would call a seasonal spread,” said Henry.
Wastewater samples show high levels of COVID at many sites, and hospital admission rates related to COVID are also elevated — about 200 people in hospital have tested positive for COVID, she said.
Despite all that’s been learned about the virus, “we just don’t know enough about the patterns that this virus will have long-term in this province and in this country,” Henry said.
“What we do know is it doesn’t seem to be going away and still causes severe illness, particularly in people who are immune-compromised, who are older, who have other underlying illnesses,” said Henry, who said that’s why immunization is especially important for that demographic.
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 that’s dominated for more than a year continues to change, with the sub-variant called KP3.1.1 showing up the most in testing, as well as an increase in the more rapidly spreading XEC sub-variant, which is showing up in about 10 per cent of cases in the province.
“But as far as we can tell from all the latest variants in other parts of the world, it doesn’t cause more severe illness, and we still believe that the updated COVID vaccines will provide good protection, at least in the short term, against infection of all of these slightly mutated strains of Omicron,” said Henry.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends people get the updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall, or six months after their most recent COVID-19 vaccine or infection, whichever is later.
Henry suggests that anyone who has had COVID recently wait at least three months before receiving a COVID shot, saying infection provides a boost to the immune system that lasts for several months.
The provincial health officer noted that new COVID tests have been sent to pharmacies and are recommended for people with symptoms, although “the older ones still do work.”
Henry said respiratory illness season is a time to remember “healthy habits” including covering coughs, washing hands, avoiding others if you have a cough or fever, and wearing a mask if you have lasting symptoms or need more protection.
“It’s important to keep in mind that each of us has the power to stop the spread of respiratory illnesses and other gastrointestinal illnesses that we see this time of year,” said Henry.
To register in the Get Vaccinated system, go to getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca or call 1-833-838-2323
For more information on the province’s immunization program, go to www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register.
