Health Secretary Adrian Dix said the fourth installments were part of the province’s strategy to mitigate the effects of a possible sixth wave of COVID-19 cases, as enhanced vaccine protection has been credited with reducing hospitalizations and other serious outcomes. It is unclear who will be eligible for the amplifiers, but Dix said Thursday that people in “clinically vulnerable categories, such as those in long-term care” will be first in line. “You will hear more about this next Tuesday,” he said. Some jurisdictions, including Ontario, are already experiencing another significant increase in COVID-19 cases due to the highly contagious Omicron BA.2 subtype. The National Immunization Advisory Committee is expected to issue instructions for the fourth installments in the coming days, according to a representative of the Public Health Service of Canada. “Advice has been sought from NACI on the possible use of second booster doses in older populations at higher risk of serious illness. PHAC is expected to publish NACI advice on this in early April,” Anna Maddison said in an email. Asked about the possibility of BC reinstating stronger restrictions on COVID-19 as cases increase, Dix said officials would adjust their response to the latest data. “All you have to do is respond to the nature of the wave,” he said. “The measures taken in relation to the Delta wave are different from the measures taken in relation to the Omicron concern variant, so we continue to adapt, and this applies to most jurisdictions.” The latest updates on COVID-19 from the Ministry of Health show that the number of positive test patients in hospitals is between 250 and 290. The total number has been steadily declining for weeks since reaching a record high of 1,054 in January. Dix said wastewater monitoring also showed an “overall either flat or slight increase in the amount of COVID-19 present.” This monitoring, along with test-positive rates, is one of the only means available to officials to monitor transmission now that BC no longer performs PCR testing on most people with coronavirus symptoms. Earlier this month, the county lifted its mandate for an indoor mask, prompting criticism from the BC human rights commissioner about the potential impact on people most vulnerable to serious illness. The government has set a target date of April 8 – at the end of next week – for the abolition of vaccine passport requirements, but said that date would be postponed if necessary. With files from the Canadian Press
