Seniors over 80 to be vaccinated in B.C. by the end of March

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Friday COVID-19 update

There are 22 new cases of COVID-19 in the Island Health region. Province-wide, there has been another large increase with 508 new cases and six more deaths.

Vaccination will lead to increased access to family in long-term care

BC's Minister of Health says despite vaccine delays, the province will immunize all citizens over the age of 80 by the end of March. Adrian Dix says starting March the 1st, British Columbians over the age of 80 who receive home care will begin receiving vaccine, and others in that age group who are not connected to health care programs will start receiving vaccine on March 15th. Dix says almost all seniors in long term and assisted living will receive their second dose of vaccine this month. He says that means it won't be long before visiting restrictions now in place will be lifted.

"What we hope is going to change soon in long-term care, what we hope is going to change soon in assisted living, we believe in the month of March where people are going to have more access, not less and more opportunities to engage and not less."
—Minister of Health Adrian Dix.

Dix notes COVID-19 outbreaks in care homes have declined from 59 in December to 14 today is a result of immunity that residents have with the first dose of vaccine.

Replacement of NDSS highlighted in school district plan

Nanaimo District Secondary School is at the end of its useful life and desperately needs to be replaced. That's one recommendation in Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public School's latest long-range facility plan. The report says the school needs significant maintenance, is a high priority for seismic upgrades and is environmentally unfriendly. The school district's secretary-treasurer, Mark Walsh, identifying NDSS in the plan is meant to send a message.

“It's our number one seismic priority, it's end of life, school districts around the province are getting replacement schools right now, and NDSS, this again is a message to our community, to the ministry, to political partners, that this needs to happen.“
—Mark Walsh SD-68 Secretary-Treasurer.

The plan also projects other schools could be seriously overcrowded in the next 10 years. Dover Bay Secondary and Pleasant Valley Elementary are already feeling the strain and are predicted to reach more than 180 per cent capacity by 2030. Walsh is recommending developers pay a School Site Acquisition Charge to help fund expansion.

"We are certain, at least in Nanaimo and Lantzville, that the school site acquisition charge is an absolute slam dunk. There's hundreds of thousands of dollars waiting for the district to go collect from development."
—Mark Walsh SD-68 Secretary-Treasurer.

The next step is for the board to discuss the plan with the community.