Interior Health says it is accelerating the rollout of second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine throughout the region.

So far about 675,000 doses of the vaccine have been administered with more on the way as drop-in hours are expanded along with the roll out of mobile vaccine clinics.

“I want to thank the hundreds of thousands of people who have visited our immunization clinics,” IHA president and CEO, Susan Brown, said in a statement.

“We appreciate your ongoing support as more people become eligible for second doses, we will keep clinics running as smoothly as possible to get everyone fully immunized. Interior Health is constantly reviewing and adjusting clinic capacity, including adding more appointments where needed.”

Interior Health says to date there have been 520,998 first doses of the vaccine administered to people across the health authority, with another 154,848 second doses administered as well.

Over 5,000 first doses administered at mobile vaccine clinics

Interior Health also says it has administered over 5,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine throughout the region since the launch of its mobile vaccine clinics last week.

These mobile clinics through the health authority are in partnership with BCAA, having made stops in over 40 communities along the way so far.

“Our teams of immunizers and support staff have undertaken the most important road trip of the summer by bringing quick and easy access to COVID-19 vaccines to small and rural communities across the region,” Brown added.

“The support from community leaders, local government, chambers of commerce, school districts, farming associations and more has made the mobile immunization clinics successful and made our teams feel welcomed everywhere they go.”

These mobile clinics will be in communities like Sorrento, Chase, Cache Creek, Clinton, 100 Mile House, and Williams Lake in the coming week. Advance appointments are not needed, and anyone who lives in the community where the clinic is can walk-in, register, and get their first dose of a COVID vaccine.

For a list of all Interior Health COVID-19 immunization clinics and other resources, go here. For more on the mobile vaccine clinics, go here.