North Coast Review
[This story originally appeared on The North Coast Review, a blog based in Prince Rupert that contains “items of interest to those living on the North Coast of BC.”]
Northern Health has announced a community-wide COVID-19 vaccination program for Prince Rupert, meaning that anyone above the age of 18 can potentially be vaccinated by the end of April. The announcement comes as the region continues to see high rates of transmission and clusters of the coronavirus.
As The North Coast Review noted earlier this week, B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry indicated some additional measures were on the way for the North Coast and on Tuesday in a joint announcement it was made official.
“Prince Rupert has a high COVID-19 case rate and high positivity rate, that has not seen the improvements in recent weeks that are occurring elsewhere in the region. Quickly vaccinating the entire community is a great way to protect everyone in Prince Rupert, and keep them safe,” said Dr. Jong Kim, Northern Health Chief Medical Health Officer.
The registration program will take part in stages beginning Friday. Prince Rupert and Port Edward residents will soon be notified of a dedicated phone number to book the appointments.
As for the roll out of the program it will look as follows:
The clinic for residents of Prince Rupert and Port Edward will take place at the Jim Ciccone Civic Centre.
Northern Health noted that it expects a large volume of calls during the registration period, and asked for patience and for residents to wait their turn.
“The Prince Rupert-specific vaccine appointment call centre expects to have high call volumes, and we appreciate resident’s patience. If it’s not your turn yet, please do not call in to book an appointment. Everyone who is eligible to book a vaccination appointment will be able to do so, and once you become eligible, you are always eligible,” the authority said.
