Tri-City residents under the age of 80 will have to wait a little longer to find out where and when they’ll get their COVID-19 shot.
But one thing’s for certain — they probably won’t have to go far to get one as Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are offering city facilities as potential vaccination sites as the province rolls out a mass vaccination program.
Only Port Coquitlam has offered to publicly name one of its preferred locations — Hyde Creek Recreation Centre — as a possible location.
“The City of Port Coquitlam has been working with Fraser Health to determine if mass vaccination clinics can be facilitated in one or more of our city facilities. We have identified Hyde Creek Recreation Centre as a potential site based on the requirements provided by Fraser Health,” Mayor Brad West confirmed to the Tri-City News.
“We look forward to hearing back from Fraser Health about their plans and whether they intend to use our facility in Port Coquitlam,” he added.
Coquitlam has yet to name a facility but on its website states that it has offered potential sites as possible vaccination clinics.
“Once those decisions are made, further communication on locations, including the impacts on any City of Coquitlam facilities, will be shared on this page and through other communications channels,” the website notes.
PHASE 2 VACCINE BOOKINGS START MONDAY
(According to Port Moody’s city manager Tim Savoie, the city of Port Moody has no plans to host vaccination clinics at this time.)
Phase 3 is when vaccination of the general population begins in April. The order in which people get vaccinated will be according to age. It will start with those aged 79 and work down in five-year increments to 18-year-olds by the end of September.
Once people have registered online – likely through the BC Centre for Disease Control website or health authority websites – they will need to be notified when and where they can get their first shot.
Meanwhile, Fraser Health is not ready to disclose Tri-City vaccination sites for Phase 3 as it is focusing Phase 2 of B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization plan.
“We will have more to share in the near future,” stated spokesperson Nick Eagland in an email to the Tri-City News.
Meanwhile, vaccinations will soon start under B.C.’s Phase 2 plan for residents 80 years and older who are living in the community and haven’t yet been vaccinated.
Here’s how the initiative to vaccinate people over 80 in Fraser Health — which includes Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra — will roll out.
• Starting Monday, March 8, residents can book for appointments that commence March 15: Seniors 90 years of age and older (born in 1931 or earlier), Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) individuals 65 years of age and older (born in 1956 or earlier) and Indigenous Elders.
• Starting Monday, March 15 book for appointments starting March 22: Seniors 85 years of age and older (born in 1936 or earlier).
• Starting Monday, March 22 book for appointments starting March 29: Seniors 80 years of age and older (born in 1941 or earlier).
Booking will be able to be done by phone (1-855-755-2455) or online.
While details on the next phase of vaccines have yet to come, it’s likely procedures currently recommended for individuals 80 and older will have similar requirements for younger people.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO BOOK A VACCINE
• Before calling, Fraser Health recommends you have pen and paper; your personal health number; full name; date of birth; Postal code
• A phone number that you can receive text messages on or an email address that you or your family check often, in case they need to send you important information.
• Before you go to a clinic, read the COVID-19 Vaccine Health File; bring your BC Services Card/Personal Health Number and photo ID, if you have them, and wear a mask. (If you don’t have a mask, they can give you one.)
Appointment locations for people in Phase 2 will be confirmed at the time they book their appointment. People will be able to choose an appointment location that works for them. This could be somewhere close to their home, or close to their place of work, according to Fraser Health.
In addition, mobile clinics will be available to provide immunizations to people who are homebound due to mobility issues.
TRANSLATION SERVICES
To ensure vaccine information is available to people who do not speak English as a first language, translated resources are available on Fraser Health’s website.
