The province outlined the second phase of its vaccination rollout plan on Friday, covering the next steps between April and September. (submitted/Government of BC)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

VACCINATION PLAN

Goal posts set for Island Health’s COVID-19 vaccination program

Jan 22, 2021 | 10:44 AM

NANAIMO — The steps necessary to provide 8.6 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in B.C. are more clear.

The province unveiled the next steps in its ongoing vaccine roll out plan on Friday, Jan. 22. The program began in late 2020 with doses supplied to health care workers in the Lower Mainland.

Just over 739,000 people aged 18 or over are eligible to receive doses of a COVID-19 vaccine within Island Health. The province is setting a goal of providing 84,500 first or second doses per week to the health authority.

Premier John Horgan said roughly 100,000 people have received the first dose of vaccine across the province.

“We’re started on the road to putting COVID-19 in our rearview mirror but we are far from off the track. We have a long, long way to go.”

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Public health is following a year-of-birth cohort system for determining when people will roll up their sleeves.

The province’s broad plan for vaccine roll out according to age cohorts. (Government of BC)

Through February and March 2021 seniors over the age of 80, Indigenous elders over the age of 65, hospital staff, those in vulnerable populations such as the homeless or those in jail and staff in home support for seniors will have their name called.

Beginning in April and continuing through June, the province will move to the general population in descending five year increments starting with those 75-79 years old.

People aged 16-69 who are deemed extremely vulnerable will also be eligible to receive their doses. People who are extremely vulnerable include organ transplant recipients, those with specific cancers, significant developmental disabilities and people with chronic kidney issues.

Public health will reach out to individuals directly through their primary care provider beginning in late February.

Others will be able to pre-register for a vaccine via a self-service website or telephone between two to four weeks before their expected eligibility period.

Over the remainder of the summer, doses will open up to people aged 18 to 59 in descending five year age cohorts with the province hoping to complete their immunization program by the end of September.

Vaccination clinics in 172 B.C. communities are expected to be set up beginning in April to accommodate large numbers of people. Venues like arenas, school gyms and convention halls are seen as likely locations, however details are still unknown.

The province will also roll out a ‘proof of vaccine’ system with both paper and digital records.

To date, Health Canada has approved two COVID-19 vaccinations from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. A third vaccine from AstraZeneca is expected to be approved before March and available in the spring.

It’s expected there will be a 35 day lag between receiving the first and second dose of a vaccine.

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