Press release:
All eligible adults in B.C. will soon be able to follow an easy, three-step process to register and book their vaccine appointments online, as the Province moves to Phase 3 of B.C.'s COVID-19 Immunization Plan ahead of schedule.
"British Columbians faced the countless challenges of this past year with incredible courage," said Premier John Horgan. "Today marks a major milestone in our fight against COVID-19, and we ask everyone to wait their turn and follow three steps to help put this pandemic behind us."
There are three easy steps to register to book your vaccine appointment:
1. Register: First, register when it is your turn and get a confirmation code.
2. Book: Book a vaccine appointment when you get an email, text or phone call telling you you are eligible to book, based on your age.
3. Get vaccinated: Visit a vaccine clinic to get your vaccine dose.
Starting at 8 a.m. (Pacific time), on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, people born in 1950 and earlier (71 and older), Indigenous peoples 18 and older, and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable may register to book their vaccine appointment through the Province's new 'Get Vaccinated' system in one of three ways:
* online at: gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated.html)
* by telephone through a provincial call centre (toll-free) at 1 833 838-2323
* in-person at the nearest Service BC location.
"We encourage everyone in B.C. to get their vaccine at their first opportunity, when it is their turn," said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.
Check in regularly to know when it is your turn to register: gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated.html)
To preserve system capacity, please wait until your age cohort is called to register.
"With more vaccine supply, we are taking an important step into Phase 3 of our immunization plan, and I encourage anyone who has questions to go to the BC Centre for Disease Control website to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines we have here in B.C.," said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer. "Every vaccine delivered makes all of us safer - let's keep our momentum going and get everyone who wants one, their first dose by Canada Day."
People aged 55 to 65 on the Lower Mainland continue to be eligible to book an appointment to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at a participating pharmacy near them:
www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/pharmacy (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/pharmacy)
More news to expand B.C.'s AstraZeneca program through pharmacies in other regions will come in the days ahead.
"We have worked diligently and tirelessly to get this online registration, booking and tracking system ready for British Columbians," said Dr. Penny Ballem, executive lead, B.C.'s COVID-19 immunization program. "I want to thank the regional health authorities for delivering the clinics. Now, with the help of the new online and single phone number system, we're ready to move onto the next phase of the largest vaccination program in B.C. history."
To date, nearly 770,000 eligible British Columbians - or one in six - have received their first dose of vaccine, and more than 87,000 have received their second dose. If B.C.'s vaccine supply is delivered as scheduled, everyone in B.C. who is eligible for the vaccine will receive their first dose by the end of June.