BC health officials launch initiative to reach 900,000 unvaccinated residents

According to the Vancouver Sun, "Vax B.C." is an initiative with the goal of making it easier for the over 900,000 unvaccinated B.C. residents in the province to get their doses of the vaccine. It will be done by bringing clinics near workplaces, lunch spots, beaches, and other areas where people frequent.

“The next two weeks are critical to our immunization campaign and, more importantly, to protecting our province and putting the pandemic in the rear view mirror,” the provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, told a news conference on Tuesday.

Even though British Columbia has one of the highest vaccination rates globally with over 80% of residents with at least the first dose of the vaccine and 61% with both doses, there is still a lot of work to be done because of the Delta variant. Health Minister Adrian Dix and head of the vaccine rollout Dr. Penny Ballem believe that getting more people vaccinated will keep more people safe.

“We want to reach these people,” said Ballem. “They’re across the province and range from nearly 15 per cent unvaccinated in Vancouver Coastal to another 30 per cent in the Northern Health authority and in between in the other health authorities.”

On Tuesday, the province of British Columbia reported 150 new COVID-19 cases. It is an increase from 112 cases last Thursday and just under 100 each on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.