BC Government outlines the vaccine strategy, while Northern Health prepares to book appointments

It was vaccine roll out day for British Columbia, with BC Public Health Officer Doctor Bonnie Henry and Doctor Penny Ballem the province's lead on the vaccination program taking residents of the province through the provincial roll out plan for the months ahead.

“We can now see the light at the end of what has been a difficult and challenging time for us all. To get us through, we need to continue to work together and support each other. We are working hard each and every day to make sure that everyone who wants a vaccine gets one, and my new provincial health officer order significantly expands the range of health professions and occupations who can support our immunization clinics, including dentists, midwives, pharmacy technicians, paramedics, firefighters and retired nurses.” -- Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia's Provincial Health Officer. 

The Program which now enters Phase 2 will see a range of those in their Seniors year or of Indigenous Nations able to take part in clinics to get underway later this month:

Those in Phase 2 receiving their first vaccine dose in March and early April include: seniors and high-risk people residing in independent living and seniors’ supportive housing (including staff); 

Home-care support clients and staff; Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) peoples born in or before 1956 (65 years and older); Seniors born in or before 1941 (80 years and older).

“This immunization process is a massive undertaking and I thank the regional health authorities, the thousands of health-care workers and medical staff, our colleagues in the Ministry of Health and the many community partners who help us to deliver care and who have been working tirelessly throughout this pandemic for their dedication and support. Phase 2 is right on schedule, and we are working closely with each of the regional health authorities to make sure that they have the tools and resources needed to safely and efficiently book appointments.” -- Dr. Penny Ballem, executive lead for B.C.’s immunization plan. 

In their information statement from this morning, the Government noted that beginning March 8, 2021, seniors aged 80+ and Indigenous peoples aged 65+ who are not living in independent living or seniors’ supportive housing can make one call to book their appointment through their local health authority call centre according to a staggered schedule. 

This is to avoid long waits and system overload. Immunization clinic locations will be confirmed at time of booking, with vaccinations starting as early as March 15, 2021: 

March 8, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1931 (90 years+) and Indigenous people born in or before 1956 (65 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment; 

March 15, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1936 (85 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment; 

March 22, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1941 (80 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment.

For the remainder of those in the province the vaccine program will continue over the summer and into September in a descending order according to age for the most part, with a few exceptions.

More on today's announcement can be reviewed here.

For residents in the Northern Health region, the health authority followed up with their own notes on how the vaccine program will work in the region, with details much the same on the Northern health Phase 2 program for Seniors and Elders, which will begin taking reservations on March 8th.

Among those to participate in the Phase 2 program are:

Seniors and high-risk people residing in independent living and senior’s supportive housing (including staff); 

Home-care support clients and staff; 

Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) peoples born in or before 1956 (65 years and older); and seniors born in or before 1941 (80 years and older).

Those that will be able to book an appointment this month should take note of the following information:

Seniors born within the following years can call to book their appointment as of these dates (subject to change): 

 March 8, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1931 (90 years+)/Indigenous peoples born in or before 1956 (65 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment. 

March 15, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1936 (85 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment. 

March 22, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1941 (80 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment.

So far the locations for those vaccination clinics have not been outlined.

For more notes on the Northern Health program see this info statement.

For further themes on Health Care kn Northwestern BC see our archive pages here.