12 per cent of Vernon/Coldstream children vaccinated against COVID-19

Dec 15, 2021 | 5:00 AM Pete McIntyre

New data from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) shows that, as on Monday, Dec. 13, Vernon/Coldstream’s COVID-19 vaccination rate for children aged 5-11 has reached 12 per cent.

Looking across the Interior, Vernon was middle of the board for vaccination rates in the new age group.

Okanagan Mission had the highest rate at 26 per cent, followed by Glenmore at 20 per cent; then Penticton at 19 per cent. Downtown Kelowna, Southern Okanagan and Summerland all recorded first dose rates of 14 per cent, while Lake Country had a rate of 13 per cent.

There were several communities sharing the lowest vaccination rates for the 5-11 age group.

Enderby, Merritt, Lower Thompson and Grand Forks all had first dose rates of 7 per cent Monday.

Salmon Arm, Kamloops Centre North and Kettle Valley all had rates of 8 per cent.

The BCCDC data shows that the Interior, as a whole, had a first dose vaccination rate for 5-11 year olds of 14 per cent as of Monday. That’s below the provincial vaccination rate of 21 per cent for that age group.

There were no increases for first dose rates for local 12-17, 18-39 year olds or those 50 and over, as Monday’s rates were recorded at 82, 81 and 91 per cent respectively.

Vernon/Coldstream’s second dose rates for those age groups also did not see any increases from the previous week. As of Monday, 77 per cent of local kids aged 12-17, 77 per cent of adults aged 18-49 and 89 per cent of area residents aged 50 and over had received both jabs.

Enderby continued to have the lowest first dose vaccination rates for 12-17 and 18-49 year olds at 46 and 64 per cent, respectively. The lowest first dose vaccination rate for people over the age of 50 in the Interior as of Monday was in Kettle Valley at 78 per cent.

BCCDC’s Interior Vaccination Rates (12+) as of Dec. 13:

Vernon/Coldstream: 86 per cent (first dose), 83 per cent (second dose)
Armstrong/Spallumcheen: 79 per cent, 76 per cent
North Okanagan/Lumby: 79 per cent, 76 per cent
Lake Country: 85 per cent, 81 per cent
Central Okanagan Rural: 83 per cent, 80 per cent
Downtown Kelowna: 91 per cent, 87 per cent
Glenmore: 93 per cent, 91 per cent
Okanagan Mission: 91 per cent, 89 per cent
West Kelowna: 88 per cent, 85 per cent
Enderby: 73 per cent, 70 per cent
Salmon Arm: 82 per cent, 79 per cent
Penticton: 88 per cent, 86 per cent
Summerland: 88 per cent, 85 per cent
Merritt: 82 per cent, 77 per cent
Lower Thompson: 83 per cent, 79 per cent
Kamloops Centre North: 88 per cent, 84 per cent
Kamloops Centre South: 95 per cent, 92 per cent
Princeton: 84 per cent, 80 per cent
Keremeos: 83 per cent, 79 per cent
Southern Okanagan: 91 per cent, 87 per cent
Kettle Valley: 74 per cent, 70 per cent
Grand Forks: 81 per cent, 77 per cent

As a whole, the Interior’s vaccination rates for eligible residents aged 12 and over was recorded at 87 per cent for first doses, 83 per cent for second jabs and 17 per cent for third or booster shots.

Comparatively, the provincial vaccination rates for that age group Monday was 92 per cent for first doses, 89 per cent for second jabs, and 13 per cent for third shots or boosters.