Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has announced that COVID-19 vaccination clinics will open to eligible seniors starting March 15. People 80 years of age and older, and indigenous people (first nations, Métis and Inuit) 65 years of age and older, will be eligible to be vaccinated as part of phase two of the BC COVID-19 immunization plan.
According to a media release, VCH will have vaccination clinic sites across Vancouver, Richmond and urban and rural coastal communities. Most vaccination clinics will be open seven days a week, between 9 am and 5 pm, with evening appointments also available. Dedicated sites have also been established for indigenous people, which will offer services that are culturally safe, with ceremonial plans in place, the release stated.
An appointment booking toll-free phone line will begin operating on March 8 from 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week. People 80 years of age and older, and indigenous people 65 years of age and older, can book their appointment by calling 1.877.587.5767, which is the toll-free line for booking vaccine appointments.
To facilitate access to as many eligible seniors and indigenous people as possible, VCH invites people in the following age groups to call the appointment booking phone line from the dates indicated below.
In Powell River, calls can be made to the toll-free line beginning on March 8 and vaccinations begin on March 15, for those with a year of birth in or before 1941 (seniors 80 years of age and older), or in or before 1956 for indigenous people (65 years of age and older.)
The media release states that before calling the phone line, people are asked to have a pen and paper, their personal health number, full name, date of birth, postal code and a phone number available.
The release stated that VCH is appealing to family members, friends, neighbours and social services agencies to help reach eligible seniors in the community.
“Please share the COVID-19 vaccination information with people 80 years of age and older, or indigenous people 65 years of age and older, to help them plan ahead for when the appointment booking phone line opens, according to age group,” the release stated.
For reference, the following is important contact information related to COVID-19 vaccine. If people have a clinical question: first speak with their family doctor or nurse practitioner, or call 811 for nursing advice prior to booking an appointment. For questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, call 1.888.COVID19 (1.888.268.4319) or visit gov.bc.ca/covid19. For information on VCH vaccination clinics, go to vch.ca.
