Interior Health says anyone who got a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine more than 49 days ago can now get their second dose at a drop in or mobile clinic.
Medical Health Officer for Kamloops, Dr. Carol Fenton, says the health authority is trying to make it easier for people to get vaccinated.
“And that’s really because the vaccine is our best tool against COVID,” she said. “It is going to bring it under control for us and we need everyone to get both doses as soon as they can.”
“The message that they will send you at the 49 day mark, that is your indicator that you are now eligible. So you can choose if you want to make an appointment or if you want to drop in, if the mobile clinic is more convenient for you.”
In Kamloops, the mass vaccine clinic at the Tournament Capital Centre is still open. The McArthur Island clinic remains closed for now as the building is being used to assist wildfire evacuees.
In the Kamloops Local Health Area, there have been 124,527 vaccines administered – with 77,436 first doses and 47,291 second doses.
“We’re only sitting at about 75 per cent vaccine rate for first doses [in the Kamloops LHA],” Fenton said. “I’m not sure what it is for second doses, but we could definitely do better. We’ve got ways to go. So that’s why we’re trying to allow clinics to expand the drop in and make it easier for folks.”
If you’re someone who got AstraZeneca for your first dose and you’re still waiting for a second dose, Fenton says you can head to a drop-in clinic as long as you’ve been waiting for at least 49 days.
“We cannot guarantee if its Pfizer or Moderna that you will get at these clinics but as far as I’m concerned they’re the same thing, because they are the same type of vaccine,” Fenton added. “It is entirely dependent on supply and we have both right now. We ran out of Pfizer for a little while but we got some more of it so if people want an mRNA vaccine, they can do and get it.”
There is a drop-in clinic in Brocklehurst at 1800 Tranquille Road in the Brock Shopping Centre. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
A full list of vaccine clinics in the region can be found here.
