COVID vaccines (Photo 209579820 © Cristian Storto | Dreamstime.com)

By Kevin Rothwell

300 immunized in three hours

Interior Health may have more pop-up vaccination clinics

May 28, 2021 | 3:50 PM

KELOWNA – The success of a neighbourhood COVID-19 immunization clinic in Rutland on Wednesday could result in similar efforts in other locations.

Rutland has six immunization clinics operating, but still has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the region and one of the highest transmission rates in the province.

“There is a little bit of transmission with kids, some transmission in households, but nothing specific that stands out [no specific cause],” Albert de Villiers, Interior Health (IH) Chief Medical Health Officer, told reporters Friday.

The three hour clinic at Centennial Park from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. allowed people to just walk-up, register and then receive their shot.

“That was a great success. We were able to get about 300 people through that effort on Wednesday afternoon and we are certainly looking at what we have learned from those more impromptu low barrier opportunities,” Karen Bloemink, IH Vice President of Pandemic Response, said.

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Pop-up clinics have been used in other high transmission areas of the province, like Surrey, but this is the first time the idea was tried by IH.

“We are trying to replicate the learnings from Wednesday’s clinic and where we may benefit from this type of low barrier access approach to immunizations,” Bloemink added.

The clinic was in partnership with the City of Kelowna, the Uptown Rutland Business Association and the Rutland Residents Association.