Interior Health accelerating second doses of COVID-19 vaccine

KELOWNA — Interior Health (IH) says more than 675,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered throughout the health region.

The agency says 520,998 first doses and 154,848 second doses (22 per cent of total) have gone into arms in the IH region for a total of 675,846.

“I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of people who have visited our immunization clinics,” Interior Health president and CEO Susan Brown said. “We appreciate your ongoing support as more people become eligible for second doses, we will keep clinics running as smoothly as possible to get everyone fully immunized. Interior Health is constantly reviewing and adjusting clinic capacity, including adding more appointments where needed.”

IH says drop-in hours will be expanded and mobile immunization clinics will continue to be held across the Interior.

“For anyone who has not yet had their first dose, it is not too late. You can register and make an appointment to get your vaccine, and in many communities, there is also drop-in access available to make it as easy as possible,” Brown said.

It’s expected everyone in B.C. who is eligible (12 and older) should be offered two vaccine doses by September.

There are three ways to register for COVID-19 vaccine notifications:

1. Online by visiting the provincial website https://gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated

2. By phone: 1-833-838-2323

3. In person at a Service BC office listed here.

For clinic schedules and mobile clinic dates in rural and remote communities visit: https://news.interiorhealth.ca/news/covid-19-immunization-clinics/