There were 444 COVID-19 cases and 12 deaths from the virus today in B.C.

The province says 78 of the new cases were in Interior Health.

There are now 9,481 active cases in the province, with 357 people in hospital and 84 people in critical care.

In the Interior, active cases are now at 691, and that number has dropped from reaching 837 six days ago. Within IH, there are now 31 people in hospital and seven people in intensive care.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry gave her penultimate warning ahead of Christmas Eve, about the onus being on people to limit the spread of the virus.

“By staying local, avoiding all non-essential travel and using our layers of protection, we can reduce the potential for a surge in new cases two weeks from now and keep us on the path of a safer and healthier 2021 for everyone in B.C.”

Also, there have now been 4,108 people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in B.C. Interior Health celebrated the first vaccine doses being distributed today in the region, which happened in Kamloops and Kelowna.

“Vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna have also provided guidance on how to safely transport the approved vaccines. This means that as deliveries increase in the coming weeks, the vaccine will increasingly be available in more locations,” Henry says.