British Columbia health officials are strongly encouraging everyone who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine to get one as hospitalizations linked to the disease reached a new record. The province confirmed 1,168 new cases and six more deaths Wednesday. There are 397 people in hospital, 120 of whom are in intensive care. Almost 1.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in B.C., 87,820 of which are second doses. Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that everyone 55 and older is now eligible to get a shot. They also

Federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino says his department is creating a new means to permanent residency for 90,000 essential workers and international graduates. Those people are already in Canada. Mendicino says the new policy will grant permanent status to temporary workers and graduates who possess the skills and experience the country needs. Mendicino says health care and other eligible essential workers must have at least one year of Canadian work experience to apply, while international graduates must have completed an eligible Canadian post-secondary program within the last fou

Chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma says there is no evidence showing certain people are more at risk than others and the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will remain authorized for all adults in Canada, along with the others that have been approved for use so far. Dr. Supriya Sharma says the vaccine, along with others approved for use so far, is safe for anyone to take. Dr. Supriya Sharma, chief medical adviser with Health Canada, says the conclusions come after the department's drug regulatory experts completed a review of safety data, and are in line with those issued in Europe and the Unite

The B.C. Restaurants and Food Association says it has been told that current health orders restricting in-person dining will be extended beyond next Monday's deadline.The group says they had a meeting with provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry Tuesday, who indicated that the health order would run through to May.It says the continued high number of daily cases and the province's desire to have restrictions in place limiting socialization and gathering indoors was given as the reason.B.C. Premier John Horgan said Tuesday that further COVID-19 restrictions may be on the way. He said his ca

A Quebec woman has developed a blood clot after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, in Canada's first case of the rare condition. Federal and provincial health officials say the woman got an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine that was produced at the Serum Institute of India, known as Covishield. The agency says the person is now recovering at home. Health Canada says the side-effect is extremely rare and the vaccine's benefits still outweigh its risks. More than 700,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Canada. In the House of Commons today, Health Minister Patty Hajdu was asked by the Conser

Health Canada says it is investigating reports the Johnson &Johnson COVID-19 vaccine may be linked to extremely rare cases of blood clots. In a tweet, the Canadian drug regulator says it is following the issue closely and is working with the manufacturer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other international regulators. Health Canada also says it has asked Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of Johnson & Johnson, to provide information on any blood-clotting cases. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration issued a joint state

British Columbia's provincial health officer is calling for patience among essential workers waiting for a vaccine that's being prioritized for people in areas where COVID-19 transmission is highest. Dr. Bonnie Henry says firefighters, police and paramedics are being vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines over the next few weeks alongside staff at schools and child-care centres. She says certain neighbourhoods will also be targeted as the province's age-based program currently books people aged 65 and up for immunization, though the Pfizer vaccine has not been arriving as re

Lt. Gov. Janet Austin has delivered the speech from the throne outlining government's commitment to supporting people, businesses and communities, while working to put the pandemic behind British Columbians and build a strong recovery for everyone."We have come a long way by looking out for each other and we can finally see the finish line in sight," said Premier John Horgan. "But in a marathon, the final push is the most difficult. The threat of new variants means we cannot let down our guard, not when we are this close to the end. Our top priority will continue to be on keeping British Colum

Adults living and working in Whistler, B.C., will be able to receive their COVID-19 vaccination starting Monday. Vancouver Coastal Health says eligible residents will be required to provide proof of their permanent resident address in Whistler with a provincialdriver's licence or valid credit card statement, or present a recent paystub to confirm their employment in the area. Whistler adults between 18 and 54 years of age will receive a vaccination at the Whistler Conference Centre. Those 55 to 65 years old can receive the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine at a local pharmacy or wait to receive a P