B.C. extends vaccine card program until June 30

B.C. is extending its vaccine card program until June 30, provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry said Tuesday.

This program applies to everyone over the age of 12, she said but it might be ended prior to June 30 if hospitalizations and cases decrease.

The card shows proof of vaccination and is used to access restaurants, indoor events, fitness centres and other facilities.

3:06 COVID-19: B.C. extends vaccine card program until June 30

However, hospital numbers remain high at this time, Henry added, and that is putting a “significant strain on the health-care system.”

She said the main tool to fight COVID-19 is still vaccinations, along with measures such as masks, social distancing, staying home when sick and washing hands.

Almost 1,000 people are in hospital in B.C. due to COVID as the Omicron variant continues to surge.

While there has been a dip of two since Monday, there are still 985 people in hospital with the virus.

In addition, people in the ICU jumped by 15 to 144 in only 24 hours.

In addition, one person has died, bringing that total to 2,554 people since the start of the pandemic.

5:08 B.C. health officials say contact tracing no longer an effective tool to fight COVID

On Tuesday, Henry also said youth sports tournaments can once again resume starting Feb. 1.

Adult sports tournaments will remain shut down for now, she added.

This Friday represents the two-year anniversary of the first reported case of COVID in B.C. and the first COVID briefing.

In the last live briefing, Henry signalled a major shift in the way the province is handing COVID-19, saying everyone should assume they’ve been a close contact and that contact tracing is no longer effective.

Because of the Omicron variant, Henry said the province is treating COVID more like the common cold.

“We cannot limit all risk. It is part of what we will be living with. We can use all the layers of protection,” she said, such as following public health guidance, getting vaccinated, washing hands, wearing good quality masks indoors, keeping groups small and using the vaccine card program to manage risks.