Interior Health mobile vaccine clinics up and running

Two mobile vaccine clinics are hitting the road this week to make COVID-19 vaccine more accessible to rural and remote communities in the Interior Health region.

They both started off today, June 7, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Rutland neighbourhood of Kelowna, one of the communities with the lowest rate of vaccinations in the region.

“We know that the best way to ensure that everyone who wants a vaccine is able to get one is by removing as many barriers to access as possible,” Interior Health president and CEO, Susan Brown, said in a news release.

“These two mobile clinics are heading out on a road trip that will make it easier for many people in the Interior to get their COVID-19 vaccine in their home community.”

The two fully equipped trailers were provided by BCAA and will make stops in 40 communities in the Interior Health region and will focus on first doses for anyone 12 and over.

The southern unit will head to the Big White village centre from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. tomorrow then on to Peachland from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Cousins Park on Wednesday and Thursday. It will continue Friday to Okanagan Falls then spend the weekend in Hedley and Princeton.

The northern unit will be in Cherryville tomorrow, Lumby on Wednesday and Coldstream on Thursday.

Dates, times and locations for clinics continuing through to at least the end of June can be seen here.

“The mobile clinics are open to anyone born in 2009 or earlier who has not yet received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine,” the website states. “No appointment is necessary at these clinics. People can walk up, register and receive a COVID-19 vaccine.”

For information on second doses in rural communities, go here.

Everyone is encouraged to register on the Get Vaccinated website in order to be scheduled for first or second doses, or call 1-833-838-2323.

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