UPDATE as of March 9: VCH advises that Bowen Islanders are now to follow the cohort registration system. So only people 90 or over or and Indigenous people over 65 eligible are to register until March 15. As of March 15 people 85 or older are to call and as of March 22 people 80 or older are to call. See more information on the VCH website.
Vancouver Coastal Health released the list of COVID-19 vaccination clinics Sunday. Bowen is listed for a one-day vaccine clinic for those eligible for vaccination in phase two on March 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bowen Island Community School.
Only those Bowen Islanders who are 80 or over or who are Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) and 65 or over can start calling to register for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment starting today (March 8).
Eligible islanders are to call VCH’s appointment booking phone line at 1-877-587-5767 to register for an appointment and are to have on hand, a pen and paper, personal health number, full name, date of birth, postal code and phone number.
The phone line is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
If one does not have access to transportation, they are to mention it at the time of booking and will be called back by the home immunization team, said a Vancouver Coastal Health spokesperson.
Callers experiencing delays
VCH's vaccine appointment booking line is overwhelmed with demand as callers experience delays or aren't able to get through to the system.
"Vancouver Coastal Health is aware of the situation and we are working with our call centre service provider to get it back up and operational," says an update on the health authority website. "If you get a busy tone, please call back later in the day or try the next day."
B.C. health minister Adrian Dix said Monday morning that call centres have been slammed with more than 1.7 million calls. Dix urged only those eligible to call in.
“Remember, this is not first come first serve, that there's going to be appointments available all week," he said.
For more information visit VCH’s website.
