B.C. says it can speed up COVID-19 vaccine roll out for elderly after slow start

VICTORIA – The British Columbia government says it will speed up its COVID-19 vaccine roll out after a slow start this week.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says as of noon today, health authorities across the province can schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people aged 85 and older.

Health authorities started scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people aged 90 and older Indigenous people 65 years and up on Monday, but the phone system experienced major delays.

Dix says after the rough start the appointment scheduling system has caught up to the point where it can now begin to book the lower age group, several days ahead of the original March 15 date.

The government has been under pressure in the legislature from the Opposition Liberals to provide answers about the government's contract with Telus, the provider whose call centres for COVID-19 vaccine appointments were swamped.

Dix says vast improvements have been made since Monday and the system's capacity to book people for COVID-19 vaccines has expanded.

Telus apologized for the bumpy start when many people experienced repeated busy signals and messages telling them to call back later.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2021.