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Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the imminent end of B.C.’s vaccine card program.
Screen grab from Province of B.C. YouTube
B.C. vaccine card program to end Friday
By Hannah Scott, Local Journalism Initiative reporter
Published 2:20 PDT, Tue April 5, 2022
—
B.C.’s vaccine card program will end on Friday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said today.
“The B.C. vaccine card was very effective at supporting people to get vaccinated, but also during this highest-risk period being able to have these measures in place in those highest-risk settings,” she said. “It is no longer a legal order, but we do know that many businesses are looking at their own clientele and some will continue to require this.”
A spring booster dose will be offered to those most at risk including seniors aged 70-plus, Indigenous people aged 55-plus, and residents of long-term care and assisted living facilities. The fourth dose will come about six months after the third dose.
The vaccine requirement for post-secondary residences will also be lifted.
Henry said some surveillance measures will continue, including the collection of wastewater data, facility-based monitoring in long-term and acute care, and whole genome sequencing. Daily data reports will be replaced by weekly reports beginning this Thursday.
A new method of monitoring COVID-related deaths involves collecting 30-day “all cause” mortality numbers. Initially this number will include anyone who had a positive COVID-19 test. While Henry said the initial number will be an overcount, it will be updated on a rolling basis as the cause of death data is released, which will give a more accurate picture.
“We are seeing a levelling off in transmission, but that doesn’t mean our province is no longer vulnerable to new potential variants that are coming in the future,” said Henry.
She reiterated that those who are unvaccinated are at the highest risk, regardless of age. And with increasing activity and people travelling more, a slight increase in transmission is likely over the next month or two.
Health care professionals in the public health care system continue to be required to be vaccinated. People will be able to access information on their regulated health professionals and can make decisions about their own care.
“There is no magic moment to lift restrictions, and there’s no amount of delaying that will make it absolutely safe all the time,” said Henry. “We need to find this balance.”
Health Minister Adrian Dix said beginning on Friday, people can access rapid test kits at pharmacies with no BC Care Card required.
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