Immunization Plan for British Columbia

Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, shared today the newest immunization plan for British Columbia. You can read it here.

As it was summarized by the president and CEO of Fraser Health, Victoria Lee (@DrVictoriaLeeFH), this is how next four weeks will look like in terms of implementing the plan for immunization:

·         “The week of March 1, 2021: those living and working in independent living centres and seniors’ supportive housing, as well as long-term home support clients and staff, will be offered vaccine appointments and we will reach out to them to arrange for this.

·         The week of March 8, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1931 (90 years+)/Indigenous people born in or before 1956 (65 years+) will be eligible to book their first dose of vaccine by calling our booking number or using our booking form to make an appointment starting the week of March 15.

·         The week of March 15, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1936 (85 years+) will be eligible to book for first dose of vaccine by calling our booking number or using our booking form to make an appointment starting the week of March 22.

·         The week of March 22, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1941 (80 years+) will be eligible to book for first dose of vaccine by calling our booking number or using our booking form to make an appointment for the week of March 29.

Immunization will continue for everyone working in hospitals or community health care settings if you have not received your first dose.”

Dr. Lee further stated: “The Province shared today that data internationally and in Canada supports extending the second dose to provide strong protection for more of the general population much sooner. The first dose of Pfizer and Moderna is highly effective in young and very frail elderly populations, and there is an immune response benefit to extending the second dose to four months. Effective immediately, all second-dose appointments are being rescheduled to the four-month mark.”

This is indeed great news as the expansion of the vaccine rollout to the general population is another important step forward in our response to this pandemic.

Still, the decision to take the vaccine is ONLY up to you. Vaccines are not mandatory, at least not yet. Do your due diligence and do research or ask for professional help and support if needed to make that decision. It is your body and your decision. You are not alone in this and make sure you are supported. It is important to be aware that even after receiving a vaccine you will still be required to prevent spread of covid by:

– wearing masks: masks are now required for everyone in all public indoor settings and workplaces

-limiting your social interactions to your immediate household

-respecting the information on self-isolation and returning to work after self-isolation and/or COVID-19 diagnosis.

For more information, please visit our two main health authorities in British Columbia where you can find more details: Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health .