COVID-19 levels in BC are flat or maaaaaaybe dropping a little.
Government
DoNoHarm BC is an anti-COVID advocacy organization in BC, and probably worth joining (or at least paying attention to) if you want better anti-COVID measures.
The BC budget just came out, and this report analyzes how anti-COVID measures fared in the budget. Direct quote from their newsletter (which says the same thing as the report but more suscinctly):
- WIN: Answering the call from DoNoHarm BC’s community campaign, BC Budget 2024 allocates over $3 billion over three years to help cover ongoing COVID-19 costs that were previously funded by time-limited pandemic contingencies.
- WIN: Policy-makers acknowledge the need for improved, ongoing pandemic preparedness, in both the Budget and Fiscal Plan (page 11) and the Ministry of Health Service Plan (page 19).
- WIN: BC commits to action on improving digital health solutions, including some steps to improve system integration (Ministry of Health Service Plan, page 19).
- GAP: While the budget mentions steps to improve cooling via heat pumps, it lacks any measures aimed at addressing indoor air quality, such as building retrofits or a Clean Indoor Air Act.
- GAP: Despite one-time measures to address the cost of living, there is no mention of improved medical equipment coverage; improved disability and income supports indexed to inflation; or a PPE tax credit.
- GAP: BC Budget 2024 contains no mention of support for Long Covid or related complex chronic diseases, despite urgent action steps outlined by Canada’s Office of the Chief Science Officer, and recent StatsCan data showing 1 in 9 Canadian adults have developed Long Covid so far.
- GAP: Communication to the public around COVID-19 is concerning; budget documents inaccurately frame the pandemic in the past tense, and the choice to downplay school transmission risks and safety concerns is presented as a win.
Other Respiratory Illnesses
Levels of other respiratory illnesses are declining per the BC CDC Respiratory Pathogens dashboard:
Statistics
As of 22 Feb, the BC CDC situation report says that in the week ending on 17 Feb there were: +396 reported cases, +95 hospital admissions, +16 ICU admissions, and +14 thirty-day all-cause deaths*.
In the week ending 10 Feb, they now report that there were +394 reported cases, +112 hospital admissions, +15 ICU admissions, and +22 thirty-day all-cause deaths*.
For comparison, in the previous update (2024-02-16) they reported that for the week ending on 10 Feb there were: +391 reported cases, +96 hospital admissions, +15 ICU admissions, and +15 thirty-day all-cause deaths*.
*All-cause deaths in people who had a positive COVID-19 test in the prior 30 days, that is.
There were 146 people in hospital and 17 in critical care with COVID-19 on 22 February.
Charts
From the BC CDC Situation Report:
From Jeff’s wastewater spreadsheet:
