Salmon Arm’s recreation centre is set to become an immunization hub as Interior Health has begun taking appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations.
As of Monday, March 8, appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations could be booked through Interior Health’s call centre at 1-877-740-7747 (the same number used by the health authority for laboratory services bookings).
When booking an appointment, residents will be asked for their name, date of birth, postal code, personal health number (on back of B.C. driver’s licences and BC service cards) and current contact information. Interior Health stressed call centres will never ask for financial information or social insurance numbers. It also asked that individuals call for an appointment only if and when eligible.
Interior Health said appointments will be based on a staggered approach to prevent long waits and system overload:
• March 8: Seniors born in or before 1931 (90 years+) and Indigenous people born in or before 1956 (65 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment;
• March 15, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1936 (85 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment;
• March 22, 2021: Seniors born in or before 1941 (80 years+) may call to book their vaccine appointment.
Immunization clinic locations will be confirmed at the time of booking, with vaccinations starting as early as March 15.
Read more: First COVID-19 vaccines administered in Interior Health
Read more: COVID-19 vaccinations underway in Salmon Arm
In Salmon Arm, vaccinations will begin on March 15 and take place seven days a week at the recreation centre, located at 2550 10th Ave. NE.
In Chase, vaccinations also get underway on March 15. There they will be done three days a week at the Chase Community Hall at 547 Shuswap Ave.
Celista will see a mobile clinic on March 18 at the North Shuswap Community Hall at 5456 Squilax-Anglemont Rd. Vaccinations will begin in Enderby on March 15 for two days a week at the Enderby Seniors Centre at 1101 George St.
As of Monday, March 8, there were no vaccination clinics announced for Sicamous, Sorrento or Blind Bay. Residents from these areas will be booked for Salmon Arm.
The health authority said the current list of clinics will be adjusted according to need.
Interior Health asks if you do not have access to transportation to the appointment, to mention this at the time of booking and you will be called back by the health authority’s home immunization team.
@SalmonArm
lachlan@saobserver.net
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