What you need to know about COVID-19 in B.C. for Dec. 10 - CBC.ca

THE LATEST:

B.C. plans on immunizing 400,000 people against COVID-19 by March 2021.
There are close to 4,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine arriving this week.
619 new cases of the virus were announced on Wednesday, and 16 more deaths.
There are 9,329 active cases of COVID-19 across B.C.
338 patients are in hospital, with 75 in intensive care.
559 people in B.C. have died of the disease since the pandemic began.

B.C. residents now have a new understanding of how vaccines will be distributed across the province.

The news came on Wednesday afternoon, hours after it was announced that Health Canada had approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Premier John Horgan, joined by Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix and pandemic response leader Dr. Ross Brown, said the province plans to immunize 400,000 people against the coronavirus by March 2021, with priority given to residents and staff of long-term care homes and health-care workers.

The first batch of vaccines, around 4,000 in all, arrive this week and will be distributed from two clinics: one in the Vancouver Coastal Health region and the other from the Fraser Health region.

As more doses of the vaccine become available, priority will be given to seniors over 80, people with underlying health conditions, people who are under-housed, and people living in remote and isolated Indigenous communities.

By April, front-line workers including teachers, grocery store workers, firefighters, and people working in food processing plants will be prioritized.

Click here for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine in B.C.

16 more deaths

On Wednesday, health officials announced 16 more people had died of COVID-19 in B.C. and confirmed 619 additional cases.

A total of 338 people are in hospital, with 75 people in intensive care. To date, 559 people have died of COVID-19 in B.C.

Provincewide, COVID-19 restrictions have been extended to Jan. 8 at midnight.

That means residents can only socialize with people in their household, and all events and gatherings must be cancelled. British Columbians are being told not to travel outside their local communities for non-essential reasons, whether it’s to visit family or take a vacation.

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What’s happening elsewhere in Canada

As of 7:15 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Canada’s COVID-19 case count stood at 435,330, with 72,336 of those considered active. A CBC News tally of deaths based on provincial reports, regional health information and CBC’s reporting stood at 12,983.

Ontario reported another 1,890 cases of COVID-19 and 28 more deaths linked to the illness on Wednesday.

Quebec on Wednesday reported 1,728 new cases and 37 new deaths. Premier François Legault has said he isn’t ruling out the possibility of implementing further restrictions if necessary.

Manitoba reported 280 new cases and 18 new deaths on Wednesday. It is the province’s second-highest daily death toll, after the 19 deaths reported on Dec. 5.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is meeting with premiers virtually Thursday, with vaccine distribution, health-care funding and improving long-term care facilities on the agenda.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Common symptoms include:

Fever.
Cough.
Tiredness.
Shortness of breath.
Loss of taste or smell.
Headache.

But more serious symptoms can develop, including difficulty breathing and pneumonia.

What should I do if I feel sick?

Use the B.C. Centre for Disease Control’s COVID-19 self-assessment tool. Testing is recommended for anyone with symptoms of cold or flu, even if they’re mild. People with severe difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, difficulty waking up or other extreme symptoms should call 911.

What can I do to protect myself?