Thread by @cbcnewsbc

LIVE: B.C. officials present the latest COVID-19 modelling data #COVID19BC pscp.tv/w/cuw0-TEyOTUw…

Dr. Henry: B.C. is experiencing ongoing transmission in the north and Interior - in areas that had not previously been affected. #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: Data tells us there is no area of the province that has been spared by #COVID19. But there has been a decrease in Fraser region & Surrey #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: B.C.'s epidemic curve increased and peaked in November. We’ve now flattened and slowly started to decrease #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: Majority of cases can still be traced to known cluster or outbreak. 20% of cases, we are unable to find link to exposures. During peak in November there were challenges keeping up with contact tracing #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: 20-29 age group continues to be where there is the most transmission. People from 20-49 are driving the pandemic at this point. #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: cases peaked in November, hospitalizations peaked several weeks later. But both have now come down and levelled off again #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: Data hasn't changed. Older people are more likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19, which is why B.C. is rolling out vaccinations by age #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: Data also confirms that young people are much less likely to be infected and less likely to have severe illness. #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: school age children are less than 10 per cent of cases overall in B.C. #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: around the world, people have experienced varying degrees of severity in the second wave. This is how B.C. compares #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: despite the reproductine number being at or above 1 for the last few months, in the last few weeks the curve has gone down again #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: The modelling shows that we're on a good downward trajectory, but it could change very quickly (the red background reflects that) #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: Data released Friday shows the reproductive number is stubbornly hovering around one in every health authority — meaning each case is still leading to at least one new case. So we can't slip up #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: 156,250 vaccine doses received, administered almost all of it #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: 87% of LTC residents have received first dose of vaccine #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: B.C. wants to protect circle around those most vulnerable, so it's also immunizing long-term staff #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: B.C. also focusing on assisted living

Dr. Henry: Majority of the U.K. variant cases in B.C. come from people who travelled back from there, or are closely connected. The variant from South Africa is more concerning because it's not clear where it was acquired #COVID19BC

BREAKING NEWS: B.C. is extending the current public health orders on gatherings and events in place until further notice #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: B.C. needs to keep the restrictions in place because "we need to buy time to understand how these variants of concern are going to affect transmission and to get our immunization program back up to speed." #COVID19BC

Minister Dix: There have been 547 COVID cases in Whistler from Jan 1 to Feb 2
-majority identified in people in 20s and 30s who live work and socialize together
#COVID19BC

Dr. Henry: B.C. watching all variants, including those that originated in the U.S. "That’s why we get fussed about wanting to reduce transmission. The big deal is that even though it may not make you that sick, the replication could lead to a mutation or a variance.” #COVID19BC

Q: how will people find out when they get the vaccine?
Dr. Henry: it will not necessarily be family doctor who will call you, we will be connecting in a number of ways, B.C. using what we know about people by age and MSP to connect, setting up a hotline to call people #COVID19BC

Dr. Henry says B.C. has not given an end date for these restrictions because 'we need to buy some time if the positive things we’re seeing will allow us to decrease restrictions safely.' Much will depend on variants taking off... if they mutate, all bets are off

Dr. Henry: we need to be sure we actually are getting vaccine doses to meet the needs we have before restriction are eased. In the short run, right now we have to maintain actions to reduce transmission #COVID19BC

Minister Dix: seeing transmission is in social gatherings around Whistler, it’s not skiing on the mountain(s) that’s been the principal source of transmission. No one wants to take broader action that would curtail the season, but we need to take action now #COVID19BC

Q: Are day trips to Whistler okay?
Dr. Henry: Industry group coming out with a plan. This has been brought to their attention. Skiing itself is not the problem. That's why visit, not vacation. #COVID19BC