VANCOUVER Coastal Health (VCH) on Wednesday announced that from now on all vaccination clinics in the region will welcome drop-in appointments for individuals eligible for their first dose. Eligible people aged 12 and older who haven’t received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, can book an appointment or drop-in to a clinic location most convenient for them. VCH vaccination clinics are listed on the VCH website including locations and hours of operation.

All are welcome at VCH clinics, including those without personal health numbers and people who are not residents of B.C. Clinic staff are available to help people register and book appointments at other clinics throughout the region if needed, and can help answer any vaccine-related questions.

All residents are encouraged to still register on the provincial system to ensure they receive an alert once they are eligible to book their second dose vaccination appointment. For people who are now eligible for their second dose, appointments at VCH clinics are available through the provincial online platform or call centre after residents register for a COVID-19 vaccine at www.gov.bc.ca/GetVaccinated.

Those attending vaccination clinics this week are advised to arrive prepared for the warm weather anticipated in the days ahead. This includes dressing in loose, light-weight clothing, wearing a hat, bringing water to stay hydrated and applying sunscreen. VCH’s priority is to ensure residents are vaccinated as efficiently and safely as possible, with managed wait times at all vaccine clinics.

VCH has taken a number of measures across its vaccination sites to ensure residents and staff remain safe during this heat wave. VCH has umbrellas to provide shade for people waiting outside; bottled water and cooling packs are also available for people who may become overheated. VCH is asking people to show up at their scheduled appointment time to avoid line-ups outside and its staff are closely monitoring the flow of people at all clinics to ensure lines are moving as quickly as possible.

As B.C. continues to receive a sustained supply of vaccines, VCH is in a position to now expand the availability of drop-in appointments to all of its clinic locations for residents still awaiting their first dose. Those attending clinics are advised to take the first vaccine offered to them — all approved vaccines offer good protection against COVID-19.