COVID-19 cases in Vancouver Island region continue to fall

As the province starts to provide COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone aged 18 and above, Island Health's chief medical officer said he's relieved to see the number of active cases in the Vancouver Island Health region continuing to trend down.

"What we are seeing is a general decrease both in south and central Island," Dr.Richard Stanwick said on CBC's On the Island on Friday. "The numbers are absolutely bang on ... and that means ourcontact tracers are able to make sure we get a hold of anybody who has been exposed at this point."

On Friday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Arian Dix reported 494 new cases of COVID-19 in B.C., including eight that werereported inthe Vancouver Island region.

The region has now recorded 4,875 cases since the pandemic began, and on Friday, there were 149 active cases, including 16 people in hospital and fivein critical care.

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Stanwick saidthe warmer spring weather could be a contributing factor to the overall downward trend as more people headoutside to enjoy the sun.

"Fortunately, people are taking advantage of our spectacular weather and amazing things to see on the Island," he said. "So that reduces the ability of the virus to spread."

He said over 400,000 vaccines have been administered to more than half of the population and approximately threeper cent havereceivedasecond dose.

"I think the key word ... isregister, register, register," Stanwick said. "Our immunization clinics have been doing phenomenal."

On Thursday, more than 11,000 people received their vaccine at the immunization clinics. Stanwick said he is advising the provincial heath office that vaccine administration for students can be done more effectively and efficiently at thelarger clinics rather than at schools.

"This could be a totally different approach because we've got other vaccines we would like to administer to students and we normally do that in the schools," he said, "so we may have a different program, a different look in the fall."

LISTEN | Dr. Richard Stanwicktalks about the number of active COVID-19 caseson CBC's On the Island.