By James Peters

COVID-19

B.C. to reserve AstraZeneca vaccine for second doses; records 600 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday

May 12, 2021 | 4:04 PM

VICTORIA — The province has announced that, due to limited supply, the province will suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for first doses. The vaccine is being distributed through the province’s pharmacies.

The remaining doses B.C. has received will be used as second doses. Those who have appointments with pharmacies to receive initial doses of AstraZeneca vaccine will still be able to receive it.

Meantime, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced B.C. has recorded 600 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday (May 12), including 39 within Interior Health.

The new cases increase B.C.’s overall case count to 137,223, spread out as follows:

• 33,521 — Vancouver Coastal (up by 150)
• 79,818 — Fraser Health (up by 394)
• 4,882 — Island Health (up by 8)
• 11,522 — Interior Health (up by 39)
• 7,376 — Northern Health (up by 9)
• 195 — Reside outside of Canada (unchanged)

Two and Out

PETERS: Whether building up or tearing down, Kamloops is what you make it

12h ago

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: How to reduce food waste in Kamloops during the festive season

18h ago

Looped In

LOOPED IN WITH NIKKI OMEN: December 12, 2024

Dec 12, 2024

Henry reported 5,887 active cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, a decrease of 133 from Tuesday. There are 423 people in hospital and 141 in intensive care.

Within Interior Health, there are 484 active cases, with 26 people in hospital and ten in critical care.

One more person has died of COVID-19, increasing the province’s death toll to 1,625.

A total of 129,524 people are considered fully recovered from the virus, or 94 per cent of all recorded cases.

The province has administered 2,277,318 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to British Columbians. The health ministry reported earlier Wednesday that more than 50 per cent of eligible British Columbians have now received a first dose.