Wednesday, December 31, 2025
    ADVT 
    National

    B.C. prepares for flu and COVID-19 this fall

    Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 28 Sep, 2022 01:22 PM
    • B.C. prepares for flu and COVID-19 this fall

    VICTORIA - British Columbia health officials are preparing for a possible surge of influenza infections at the same time as COVID-19 strikes this fall.

    The province is offering free flu shots beginning next month for everyone six months and older, while seniors are eligible for enhanced vaccines that provide additional protection.

    Officials said during a technical briefing today that pressures on the health system including staffing shortages are being factored into planning for hospital bed capacity.

    This is expected to be the first season the flu has a significant comeback since pandemic restrictions dampened the spread of it and other respiratory illnesses over the past two years.

    Dr. Bonnie Henry provided an update this afternoon.

    Officials say Omicron is expected to remain the dominant COVID-19 variant for the next few months but they do not expect it to spread or surge to the same heights seen in previous fall or winter seasons.

    An official says COVID-19 is expected to surge around November through January, and she expects the flu may peak early this year around the same time, based on the experiences of Australia and New Zealand.

    Prev Next

    MORE National ARTICLES

    $416 million in disaster funding comes through for homes lost in B.C. wildfires

    $416 million in disaster funding comes through for homes lost in B.C. wildfires
    Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says it's advancing $416 million to rebuild homes lost in the 2021 fires, including the razed village of Lytton, in response to a provincial request for disaster financial assistance.

    $416 million in disaster funding comes through for homes lost in B.C. wildfires

    Musk puts Twitter deal 'on hold', says still committed to acquisition

    Musk puts Twitter deal 'on hold', says still committed to acquisition
    The micro-blogging platform had 229 million users in the first quarter. Musk has signed a $44 billion deal to take over Twitter, of which he will pay $21 billion from his own pocket while the rest will come as a loan from a consortium of banks.

    Musk puts Twitter deal 'on hold', says still committed to acquisition

    Unseasonal chill sets records in southern B.C.

    Unseasonal chill sets records in southern B.C.
    Special weather statements covered mountain passes along the Coquihalla Highway and Highway 3, as flurries added to the two to 10 centimetres dumped earlier in the week.    

    Unseasonal chill sets records in southern B.C.

    Police probing after abuse hurled at NDP's Singh

    Police probing after abuse hurled at NDP's Singh
    The federal NDP leader had dropped by the campaign office for Jen Deck, the Ontario NDP candidate for Peterborough-Kawartha in the provincial election, on Tuesday afternoon.    

    Police probing after abuse hurled at NDP's Singh

    B.C. home sales move back to normal: association

    B.C. home sales move back to normal: association
    The association has released the B.C. home sales figures for April, showing 8,939 properties changed hands last month, a decrease of 34.9 per cent from the record high set in April last year.

    B.C. home sales move back to normal: association

    Fatal flight was too heavy, Toronto-bound: Witness

    Fatal flight was too heavy, Toronto-bound: Witness
    The woman, who asked not to be identified because she was afraid for her safety, said she spoke with pilot Abhinav Handa at the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, B.C., before his plane took off on the cross-country trip in late April.

    Fatal flight was too heavy, Toronto-bound: Witness

    PrevNext