5.23°C Vancouver

Jan 26, 2021 6:32 PM -

British Columbia is at a critical juncture in the fight against COVID-19, Dr. Henry says she's "very concerned"

Share On
british-columbia-is-at-a-critical-juncture-in-the-fight-against-covid-19-dr-henry-says-shes-very-concerned
File - Dr. Bonnie Henry can be seen replying to questions during a news conference. (B.C. Government)

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry is warning that British Columbia is at a critical juncture in the fight against COVID-19.

New variants originally identified in South Africa and the United Kingdom have made their way to BC, and with new cases plateauing at around 500 a day, Dr. Henry says she's "very concerned."

She says the strategy for fighting the new variants is the same as for the predominant strain and urged British Columbians not to travel right now unless it's essential.

At the same time, she says officials are temporarily widening the gap between two doses of the Pfizer vaccine to 42 days from 35 amid delivery delays.

Dr. Henry provided an update on B.C.'s vaccine supply on Monday while reporting 26 more deaths linked to the illness and 1,344 new cases of COVID-19 diagnosed over the last three days.

Latest news

inflation-edges-up-to-2-4-per-cent-in-december-as-earlier-tax-break-skews-comparison
CanadaJan 19, 2026

Inflation edges up to 2.4 per cent in December as earlier tax break skews comparison

Canada’s inflation rate rose slightly at the end of last year, with consumer prices increasing at an annual pace of 2.4 per cent in December, according to new data from Statistics Canada. That marked an uptick from 2.2 per cent in November. The national statistics agency said the increase was partly driven by comparison effects linked to a temporary federal tax holiday that had been in place a year earlier. Prices that were held down during that period have since returned to more typical levels, pushing the year-over-year inflation figure higher. Economists often point to these base-year eff
pq-leader-calls-for-renewed-sovereignty-debate-following-legault-resignation
CanadaJan 16, 2026

PQ leader calls for renewed sovereignty debate following Legault resignation

The leader of the Parti Québécois says Premier François Legault’s decision to step down has reopened the question of Quebec sovereignty and created an opportunity to reset the province’s political direction. Paul St-Pierre Plamondon said Legault’s tenure demonstrates the limits of seeking greater autonomy within Canada, arguing that Quebec has failed to achieve meaningful gains in key areas such as immigration control and health care after more than seven years under Coalition Avenir Québec rule. Legault founded the CAQ on the idea of moving beyond the long-standing divide between fe
AlbertaJan 16, 2026

Crown seeks 16-year prison term for Calgary man convicted of ISIS involvement

Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to impose a 16-year prison sentence on a Calgary man convicted of participating in the activities of the Islamic State group after travelling to Syria more than a decade ago. Jamal Borhot, now 35, was found guilty in December of three counts related to involvement with a listed terrorist organization. The court heard Borhot travelled to Syria in 2013 and knowingly assisted ISIS while the group was carrying out widespread violence across the region. During sentencing submissions, the Crown said Borhot was not a passive supporter. Prosecutors told the court
four-prominent-punjab-leaders-join-bjp-ahead-of-2027-assembly-elections
IndiaJan 16, 2026

Four prominent Punjab leaders join BJP ahead of 2027 Assembly elections

Political activity in Punjab has intensified as parties begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 state Assembly elections. In this context, the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken another step to strengthen its organisational base in the state. On Friday, former Congress Member of Parliament Jagmeet Brar formally joined the BJP in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini. He was joined by Omkar Sidhu, former officer on special duty to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Charanjit Brar, and Jagmeet Brar’s brother Ripjeet Singh Brar. BJP leaders
south-korean-court-sentences-former-president-yoon-suk-yeol-to-five-years-in-prison
WorldJan 16, 2026

South Korean court sentences former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison

A South Korean court has sentenced former president Yoon Suk Yeol to five years in prison in connection with criminal charges linked to his controversial declaration of martial law in late 2024. The ruling, delivered Friday by the Seoul Central District Court, marks the first verdict among eight separate criminal trials Yoon is facing related to the decree and other alleged misconduct. The court convicted Yoon on charges including defying authorities during attempts to detain him and fabricating official documents. Prosecutors had argued that Yoon obstructed law enforcement and abused presiden

Related News