The statistics show really good news! While I wouldn’t say that the situation is good right now, it is better than it has been in a long time. (Assuming that the province hasn’t f’ed with the data.)
- COVID-19 hospitalizations are almost as low as they were pre-Omicron.
- Non-COVID respiratory diseases are also way down (although not as low as they were in October for adults or September for kids).
- Emergency Department wait times (as determined by my totally unscientific “occasionally look at the BC ED wait times page”) are way down.
Entertainment
A friend alerted me that Vancouver’s Orpheum Theatre has amazing ventilation. This pre-pandemic article and this post-pandemic article both confirm that! (But this Twitter thread says that it’s not so good in the balcony.) So if you really want to get out and about, go to the Orpheum!
Statistics
As of today, the BC CDC weekly report said that in the week ending on 21 Jan there were: +408 confirmed cases, +104 hospital admissions, +19 ICU admissions, +27 all-cause deaths.
As of today, the weekly report said that the previous week (data through 14 Jan) there were: +560 confirmed cases, +173 hospital admissions, +27 ICU admissions, +48 all-cause deaths.
Last week, the BC CDC weekly report said that in the week ending on 14 Jan there were: +560 confirmed cases, +142 hospital admissions, +24 ICU admissions, +27 all-cause deaths.
Last week, the weekly report said that the previous week (data through 7 Jan) there were: +661 confirmed cases, +195 hospital admissions, +37 ICU admissions, +42 all-cause deaths.
The BC CDC weekly report says that there are 228 in hospital / 22 in ICU as of 26 Jan 2023.
Transit
This article says that Translink journeys are still down about 30% from pre-pandemic levels.
I would like to note that various surveys say that about 30% of people are still worried about COVID. Hmmm.
Assholes
This story tells of a high school teacher who left his classroom unattended in northern BC to disrupt a vaccine clinic instead. (He got suspended.)
Charts
From the BC CDC Situation Report page as of 26 Jan (with data through 8 Jan):
From the BC CDC VoC report of 26 Jan (covering data through 8 Jan) :
From the BC CDC Vaccination Coverage report as of 26 Jan (with data through 22 Jan):
