A mass vaccination clinic at Beban Park will be replaced by a smaller facility as Island Health scales back its immunization sites. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)
VACCINATIONS

Island Health scaling back COVID-19 mass vaccination sites in Nanaimo, Oceanside

Aug 20, 2021 | 11:43 AM

NANAIMO — Mass vaccination clinics set up to quickly deliver doses of COVID-19 vaccine are downsizing as demand continually drops.

Island Health confirmed on Friday, Aug. 20, many of their large, immunization centres will close and be replaced by smaller operations.

The clinic at Cedar Community Hall is due to close Sunday, Aug. 22, followed by the multi-room centre at Beban Park on Thursday, Aug. 26. Ladysmith’s Aggie Hall facility is already shuttered.

All three will be replaced by a smaller clinic at Beban Park, on Bowen Rd. in Nanaimo and will not require an appointment to receive a vaccine dose.

The clinic operating at Parksville Community Centre is set to close Sep. 6 and be replaced by a smaller one running out of the Qualicum Beach Civic Centre.

The health authority said as of Aug. 19, 81 per cent of Island Health residents aged 12 and up have received one dose of vaccine, while 74 per cent are fully vaccinated.

“There is absolutely no doubt that vaccination is protecting people from serious illness,” Dr. Richard Stanwick, Island Health chief medical health officer, said in a release. “While we’re seeing excellent progress with vaccination rates, there is still work to be done.”

Case counts across Island Health and British Columbia continue to increase.

53 new cases were announced by the health authority on Thursday, Aug. 19 with 689 confirmed across B.C.

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