Dr. Bonnie Henry reminds British Columbians to get updated flu, COVID shots

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry encouraged British Columbians to get updated influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations and to “dust off” healthy habits as we enter the respiratory illness season.

“I can't say it enough that immunization, these vaccines, are the single best way we have to keep ourselves and our families safe from serious illness, and the best way to protect our health system, which ensures that people who need care the most can get it,” she said at a news conference Tuesday morning.

This season’s immunization campaign began in earnest after the Thanksgiving long weekend, with shots first going to seniors and those who are immunocompromised.

Last week, a record number of vaccine doses went into arms—369,774 in total, according to the province.

Officials expect everyone in the province will receive an invitation to be vaccinated by the first week of November.

Anyone who had COVID recently is advised to wait at least three months before getting a booster for that infection, Henry added.

The health officer also reminded people to do the “simple things that should be ingrained in all of us now,” including covering coughs, washing your hands and staying home when sick.

What will the respiratory virus season look like?

Based on the current trends, it looks like influenza and RSV are going back to a more normal, pre-pandemic pattern, Henry said, which means she expects the viruses to start increasing in late November to early December. Influenza and RSV cases are currently low.

As for COVID-19, Henry described it as “a little bit all over the place.”

“COVID-19 remains elevated. It was elevated through the summer. It never did go back to what we would call a seasonal spread,” she said.

The virus level in wastewater is currently high, and the number of people with COVID-19 in hospital has ticked up to the 200s, according to provincial officials.

“We still don't know enough about the patterns that this virus is going to have long-term in this province and in this country,” said Henry.

In terms of variants, the most prevalent in B.C. at the moment is a member of the Omicron group called KP3.1.1, and a newer variant called XEC is making up about 10 per cent of infections. Henry added that the newest vaccines—which are made for JN.1— will provide “good protection, at least in the short-term” against all of the mutated Omicron strains.

The province has bought more rapid antigen tests for COVID and they will continue to be available in pharmacies.

Henry said preventative measures like a renewed mask requirement in hospitals are not currently on the table, but officials will keep monitoring the situation.

“We will get through this this next 2024/25 respiratory illness season by doing the best we can to protect each other, getting our updated vaccines, making sure we take all of those healthy measures,” Henry concluded. “Following the science to make evidence-based decisions, that's the thing that we know works to help protect us and get us through these what will undoubtedly be another challenging season for all of us.”