Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) announced Saturday that more age groups are now eligible to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine appointments, with that eligibility varying based on region and age.
Beginning today, residents of Richmond, Vancouver, North Vancouver and West Vancouver aged 79 years and up can call to book an appointment, with the minimum age of eligibility descending by one-year increments over the course of the week, as follows:
- March 20: People 79+
- March 22: People 78+
- March 23: People 77+
- March 25: People 76+
- March 27: People 75+
Meanwhile, all residents of the Sunshine Coast, Powell River, Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton and Bowen Island aged 70 or older can call starting today.
Indigenous peoples who identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit and are 55 years old and up are also among those invited to make an appointment this weekend.
Those appointments can be booked by calling VCH's vaccine booking line at 1-877-587-5767 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
For those residing within the Fraser Health authority's jurisdiction, seniors 75 years of age and older, Indigenous individuals aged 55 years of age and older and Indigenous Elders, will be able to book an appointment, online or by phone, to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine this week, subject to the same date restrictions as VCH.
Under the province's initial immunization plans, residents who fall into the above-listed demographics were originally on track to receive their vaccinations beginning in April of this year. The timeline has been accelerated, partly due to an influx of AstraZeneca vaccine deliveries from the Serum Institute of India and the COVAX global sharing program.
As the executive lead for B.C.’s immunization plan, Penny Ballem, recently revealed, the province is also now expecting a combined 906,000 doses from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. to arrive between this week and April 18, on top of those extra AstraZeneca doses.
As a result, about 320,000 British Columbians who work in higher-risk environments are set to get the first doses of the vaccine ahead of their age groups. The federal government, meanwhile, has also said it is in the process of finalizing a deal with the U.S. that would see 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca plc vaccine delivered to Canada before the end of the month.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said this week that the province is working with the B.C. Pharmacy Association to deliver those vaccines.
- With files from Tyler Orton / Business in Vancouver
