B.C.’s fall and winter pandemic battle plan involves ramping up COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and a campaign to administer almost two million flu shots.
A key part of the strategy involves reducing the usual demand for hospital beds during the flu season by reducing the the number of cases, while also boosting hospital surge capacity, should there be a sudden influx of patients.
“We learned when we were watching what was happening in the southern hemisphere, in New Zealand and Australia, that there was a high demand for the vaccine. And they have had a mild season because of a high use of the vaccine,” Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry said.
She says B.C.’s vaccination strategy will be on a scale “not yet seen” with 1,965,000 doses of the flu vaccine ordered, an increase of about 450,000 doses. Health officials are still looking at how the vaccine will be distributed, and is again encouraging everyone over the age of six months to get vaccinated.
“We need to increase the work that we’re doing and we need to be prepared for what may come next in this next phase,” added Henry, noting the current COVID-19 safety measures like physical distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks when appropriate, will help reduce the spread of the flu.
The province has also ordered 45,000 fluzone-high doses of the flu vaccine for high-risk seniors meant for residents of long term care and assisted living facilities
Premier John Horgan adds the province is spending $1.6 billion on its pandemic plan, which will result in hiring an additional 7,000 people to work in the health-care system.
“Our pandemic plan has been working,” said Horgan. “We need to accelerate. We need to up our game.”
B.C. will also launch a “hospital-at-home” program, where some patients with the flu will be able to get hospital-like treatment at home to reduce the pressure on hospitals so that they have enough capacity to meet the demand that could arise.
This program will be launching in Victoria before expanding to other parts of B.C, with a goal of avoiding having to cancel surgeries or turn people away from the hospital like was done in March.
Health Officials also hope to conduct up to 20,000 tests a day, along with the hiring more than 600 additional contact tracers. The plan, health officials say, represents responses to what B.C. has learned about preventing the spread of COVID-19 since March.
