Vaccination clinics better than schools: doctor

British Columbia's provincial health officer says children between the ages of 12 and 17 will get their COVID-19 vaccinations at clinics instead of schools based on feedback from families wanting to get immunized together.

NEW: 12 to 17 year olds in BC can now register to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Youth can register in the Get Vaccinated system on their own or with help from a parent/guardian. Register now: https://t.co/KUPhNuMTis #CovidBC

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) May 20, 2021

Dr. Bonnie Henry says an estimated 310,000 children in that age group are eligible to be vaccinated, and clinic hours could be extended to remove some barriers to immunization as more vaccines are shipped to the province.

Henry says about 59 per cent of eligible B.C. residents have received their first dose so far and so-called circuit breaker measures will be lifted next week as case counts go down.

The province recorded 357 cases today, the lowest since Feb. 15, along with three more deaths.

Join Premier John Horgan, Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, BC’s provincial health officer, for an update on COVID-19. #CovidBC https://t.co/L5FpBwLtux

— BC Government News (@BCGovNews) May 20, 2021

Premier John Horgan urged everyone to continue abiding by the rules stopping indoor dining and gatherings as well as limiting travel until midnight on Monday, saying some restrictions will be lifted on Tuesday in a gradual loosening of measures.

Horgan says it's important to follow public health orders to protect front-line workers who have kept people safe for 15 months instead of looking for loopholes when the province is making good progress to get out of the pandemic.