Last week, the Interior Health (IH) region marked its one million dose milestone, thanks to all those who have supported its immunization campaign so far. However, with the announcement of the COVID-19 outbreak in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan, IH continues to encourage individuals who are not yet fully immunized to get vaccinated as soon as possible.


Interior Health Immunization Clinics

IH reports that less than 4% of the 766 new cases reported between July 1 and July 27 were among people who were fully immunized—conversely, 68% of the new cases were among unimmunized individuals.

To make the immunization process as easy as possible for those who are not yet vaccinated, a mobile drop-in clinic offering first and second doses, for those eligible, has been set up at the Kelowna Yacht Club in downtown Kelowna. The clinic is open daily from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. until Monday, August 9, and does not require an appointment. Individuals in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan can now receive their second dose 28 days after their first shot.

This mobile site is in addition to several existing COVID-19 immunization clinics that are set up throughout the Central Okanagan. For a full list of clinics and information on associated drop-in hours, visit the IH website. As a reminder, employees are entitled to 3 hours of paid leave to be vaccinated against COVID-19.


VaxForBC: Province-wide campaign

As part of its VaxForBC campaign, the provincial government is launching ‘Walk-in Wednesday’ on August 4. This province-wide initiative will allow anyone who is eligible to receive their first or second dose without an appointment. Although all IH clinics already accept drop-ins, the regional health authority is supporting this initiative to further encourage vaccination uptake.

Up-to-date information on case rates, as well as vaccination progress for each health authority, can be found on the BC Centre for Diseases Control Surveillance Dashboard.

Additional information regarding COVID-19, including stakeholder resources, can be found on the Interior Health website.