Pulse FM News Update for Wednesday, May 5

A woman has suffered serious injuries in a cougar attack at her remote property in the Fraser Valley west of Agassiz (ah-GAH’-siz). The B-C Conservation Officer Service says the woman was airlifted to a trauma hospital after the attack reported around 8:15 this morning. There is no further word on the woman’s condition. A cougar was caught and killed earlier this spring after a series
of sightings and attacks on dogs in the Port Moody area.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in children between the ages of 12 and 15. Health Canada says the updated approval is effective immediately, so if provinces choose to, they can start giving the shot to children in this approved age group right away. “While younger people are less likely to experience serious cases of COVID-19, having access to a safe and effective vaccine will help control the disease’s spread to their families and friends, some of whom may be at higher risk of complications,” Dr. Supriya Sharma, Health Canada’s chief medical adviser, said this morning. Pfizer’s shot is currently approved for use in people 16 years of age and older. Trials are underway by Pfizer and other drugmakers for other age groups, including children as young as six months. More expansion for eligibility could come as early as the fall. More information is coming out this morning

Pregnant people are now being prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination in B-C. Doctor Deborah Money with B-C Women’s Hospital says the province is seeing 50 to 60 COVID-19 cases weekly involving pregnant women. Money says pregnant women are suffering more severe COVID-19 illness than non-pregnant people their age. She says she hopes pregnant women follow the government’s advice and register for the vaccine.

An Alberta woman in her 50s has died from a rare blood clot disorder after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The province’s chief medical officer of health confirmed in a statement the death linked to vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia or VITT. Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the fatality is the second VITT case and only death related to VITT out of more than 253,000 doses of AstraZeneca that have been administered in Alberta to date. Hinshaw says while any death is tragic, “it is important to remember that the risks of dying or suffering other severe outcomes from COVID-19 remain far greater than the risk following AstraZeneca vaccine.” She notes the global risk of developing VITT has been estimated at approximately one case in 100,000 to 250,000 doses of vaccine. In comparison, Albertans between the ages of 50 and 59 who are diagnosed with COVID-19 are 350 times more likely to die from that infection than to experience VITT after an AstraZeneca shot. Hinshaw says that age group is also at least 1,500 times more likely to be hospitalized from COVID-19 than experiencing VITT after getting AstraZeneca. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2021.

Yesterday was a better day for BC, with 697 cases of COVID-19 yesterday as the province continues to report a slow drop in cases. It brings B-C’s total number of cases to 132 thousand, 353.
B-C also reported one new death. The province says more than 1.9 million vaccine doses have been administered so far.

Most people in BC are expected to hear an emergency public alert Wednesday afternoon. At 1:55 p.m. PT, there will be a test of the emergency management system in B.C. That means British Columbians should expect an interruption by an alert tone that will be broadcast on television, radio, and sent to mobile devices. You will hear a message reminding you it is a test. To receive the alert by phone, your device has to be on an LTE network, turned on, and not in airplane mode. The test of the Alert Ready system happens throughout the year. It is meant to help provinces and territories assess how ready the system is in the event of an actual emergency, such as an earthquake. “This system is only used during large-scale disasters or emergencies where loss of life is possible or imminent,” according to Emergency Management BC.

Another event has been cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, with Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) organizers saying their annual fair will not go ahead this summer. Those who run the PNE say the event would not be financially viable under anticipated public health orders. The Fair says even a modified, lower capacity in-person PNE will not be possible. “It’s not something we’ve chosen lightly,” spokesperson Laura Ballance said Wednesday. “We’ve had incredible amounts of discussion, consideration, there’s been a core team that has worked so hard to develop different, scalable models, depending on what might be possible this summer. But I think it’s become evidently clear this week with Dr. Henry’s comments that there will be no scenario that could make the PNE Fair for 2021 financially viable.” This summer would have marked the 111th Fair at the PNE. Ballance says the event is the largest-ticketed event in a normal year in B.C.

Today is the National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls in Canada — also known as Red Dress Day — and one woman has played a key role in marking the sombre date on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Sunshine Coast. Fluttering red dresses have become a symbol of the missing and murdered victims and Stephanie Rivers Elickus of Campbell River has hung 100 dresses this year alone along routes from Victoria to Port Hardy — while supporters have done the same in other areas of the south coast. Elickus, whose sister was murdered 29 years ago on this date, says she must speak for those who have been silenced because it’s time missing and murdered Indigenous women receive justice. The Assembly of First Nations says Indigenous women and girls make up about four per cent of Canada’s population but are five times more likely to experience violence.

Homicide investigators say the fatal shooting of a woman at a Surrey home yesterday does not appear to be related to gangs. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has taken over the case after the 20-year-old woman died in hospital from her injuries. The team posted on Twitter that the man they arrested is well known to police, while the victim was not and a motive hasn’t been determined. It’s the latest in a string of shootings across Metro Vancouver in recent days, including daytime attacks outside busy shopping malls in Delta and Langley. 

Following another rare blood clot-related death —  the third in Canada — some Canadians who have received one dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine are questioning whether they should get the second dose from another vaccine maker. Health Canada’s chief medical adviser, Doctor Supriya Sharma, says it’s not clear yet whether that would work, but a study on mixed-dosing could shed light on the matter as early as next week. New Brunswick health officials announced the death this morning but maintain that the risk of complications from the vaccine remains very low. 

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says B-C is working on integrating kids aged 12 and up into the vaccine rollout. The decision comes after Health Canada approved the Pfizer vaccine for kids 12 and older on Wednesday. Henry says those children could receive a dose before the end of the school year. Previously, the province was only booking vaccination appointments for those 18 years and older.

B-C Mounties say they will be setting up roadblocks to enforce COVID-19 travel restrictions in four different locations this weekend. R-C-M-P say the roadblocks will be on Highway 1 in the Boston Bar area, Highway 3 at Manning Park, Highway 5 in the old toll booth area and Highway 99 near Lillooet. Officers will be asking for identification from drivers, documentation regarding their name and address and the purpose for the travel. The roadblocks were announced as part of B-C’s effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, and are in place until May 25.