VANCOUVER -- The B.C. government is expanding the number of seniors eligible to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment earlier than expected.
People who are 85 and older will be able to register for their vaccination beginning at noon on Thursday, according to Health Minister Adrian Dix.
The minister said major issues with the Telus call centre servicing the Vancouver Coastal Health region have been resolved, and that 37,661 appointments were made across the province by 4 p.m. Wednesday.
"There's lots of space on the lines and there has been all afternoon," Dix said.
The government previously criticized the service contracted from Telus after only 369 appointments were booked under Vancouver Coastal Health on Monday. Dix confirmed there are now 7,343 appointments scheduled in the health authority region, and praised the telecommunications company for the quick turnaround.
"I want to thank everyone involved, everyone has stepped up," he said. "All of that work is appreciated."
Some 15,855 appointments have been booked in the neighbouring Fraser Health region.
Dix said most B.C. seniors who are 90 years old and older have now scheduled an appointment, allowing the province to begin taking requests from the next age group down the list.
Previously, the plan was to begin taking bookings from people born as recently as 1936 on Monday.
"This is, I think, a positive evolution," Dix said. "I invite everybody in B.C. (who is eligible) to take advantage of this opportunity."
Officials said there are just under 50,000 B.C. residents who are 90 and older, and that 21,600 have already been immunized.
