B.C. health officials say the province needs to make its COVID-19 message more effective for young people and those who don’t speak English as their first language.

Deputy Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reka Gustafson says many young people have been feeling the effects of the pandemic and restrictions that have been put in place.

“In terms of mental health, in terms of ability to make ends meet. So one of our goals through our schools and through our communication plan is to make sure that we engage with young people through their universities, through their workplaces to really consider what their needs are.”

Meanwhile, with COVID-19 cases spiking among young people, Health Minster Adrian Dix says the province continues to consult with that demographic and will work to tailor public guidance.

New modelling released yesterday shows more than 30 per cent of COVID-19 cases have now been people between the ages of 20 and 29.

“Many of our leaders in this effort have been young people in communities and I very much appreciate their efforts. I also want to say how much I appreciate the work done every day by people both at the post secondary level but also in schools both elementary and secondary,” Dix says.

In schools, there have been 261 exposures of COVID-19 reported in the past week, although less than a dozen of those exposures have resulted in transmission of the virus.

There have been no school exposures in the Kamloops-Thompson School District, the Nicola-Similkameen School District or the Gold Trail School District.