The main provider of COVID-19 vaccines to Canada is reporting new delays, which will lead to “very few, if any” doses being delivered to B.C. in the first two weeks of February.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says it is a result of manufacturing delays from Pfizer, noting as a result second doses of the vaccine will be administered to people 42 days after they get their first dose.

Henry says delaying the second doses will allow the province to give doses to all long-term care residents and staff, which is expected to be finished by the end of this week.

“We can’t rely on the vaccine to protect all of us just yet… It’s our individual efforts now, more than effort, that will have an impact,” Henry says. “For the next two weeks, I am asking you to do more. Take a step back, stay home, stay away from others.”

These comments came as Henry reported 1,344 new cases of COVID-19 across the province over the weekend, along with 26 deaths. There were 234 cases in Interior Health, while the outbreak at Royal Inland Hospital grew significantly to 48 cases – which Henry says is a wake-up call for people in the Kamloops area.

“We know that this part of Interior Health has not had an large outbreak in their healthcare facility, but yes, they have been accessing resources from Interior Health and from the Lower Mainland,” she said. “We have a support process both for public health and for infection control to support staff in the area as well.”

There are 4,392 active cases of COVID-19 across the province with 328 people in hospital and 68 people in intensive care units. There are 50 people in hospital in Interior Health with 11 of those in ICU. There was a second death reported at the Brocklehurst Gemstone Care Centre which is now at 23 cases – 16 residents and seven staff.

“We continue to see COVID-19 cases across all settings – from long-term care to within the community,” said IHA President and CEO, Dr. Susan Brown. “This virus respects no boundaries, however, we can slow it’s spread and reduce the risk of further tragic losses by continuing to follow all public health orders and precautions.”

As of today, there were 119,850 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the province, 3,193 of which are second doses.

There are now 57,831 people who are considered to have recovered from COVID-19 in the province, about 89 per cent of the total case load.