Interior Health slow to get COVID vaccines to children

Only four per cent of children aged five to 11 have received their first dose of the COVID pediatric vaccines in the Interior Health region, compared to 10% for B.C. as a whole.

In Vancouver Midtown, 32% of children had their first shot as of Tuesday, Dec. 7.

By contrast, Vernon and Enderby registered at 0% on data sheets posted on the B.C. Centre for Disease Control website.

“Interior Health began pediatric (5-11) COVID-19 vaccinations in communities this week and late last week,” Interior Health said in an email. “As a result, while some communities may have had their first pediatric clinic day last week, others had their first clinic day this week.”

Appointments for the paediatric vaccine started on Nov. 27.

Parents can register their children on the Get Vacinated B.C. website. Once registered they will be invited to book an appointment. There are nearly 1,000 spots available at the Vernon Recreation Centre between now and Jan. 31, the email states.

READ MORE: B.C. sending COVID booster shot invitations to more seniors starting this week

Enderby has always been the lowest vaccinated community in the Interior Health region and one of the lowest in the province.

Lillooet is the only community in the entire Interior Health region that is at or above the provincial average at 11% for those aged 5 to 11.

Penticton, the Okanagan Mission neighbourhood of Kelowna, Revelstoke, North Thompson, Windermere and Kimberly are all at 9%.

At the other end of the spectrum, Kamloops Centre North, Armstrong/Spallumcheen, Lower Thompson, Kettle Valley and 100 Mile House are at 1%.

While it seems to be a big gap, the Interior Health region has always had vaccination rates about 5% lower than the B.C. average.

For those 12 and over with one dose, the provincial average was 91% as of Dec. 6, while Interior Health was at 86%. For two doses, the provincial average is 88% and Interior Health is at 83%.

Interior Health, however, is above the provincial average when it comes to third doses at 14% versus a provincial average of 11%.

Provincially, the most vaccinated age cohort is the 18- to 29-year-olds at 97%. That’s ahead of the 70-plus age group which, provincially, is only 93%.

That pattern is reversed in the Interior Health region with 90% of those 70 and over being vaccinated and only 88% of those aged 18 to 29.

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