B.C. expecting to have all eligible residents boosted by end of March

Syringes of COVID-19 vaccine are seen at a vaccination clinic run by Vancouver Coastal Health, in Richmond, B.C., Saturday, April 10, 2021. (Jonathan Hayward /THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Health officials in B.C. are planning to get booster doses in the arms of all residents over the age of 18 by the end of March, as the province deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix said the province has been successful in ramping up the rollout of its booster campaign, meaning that all eligible residents are expected to receive their dose by March 31, a month earlier than expected.

Dix credited this to the fact that health authorities now operating at 35 per cent more capacity than previously announced at the end of October.

Several additional clinics have now been secured across the province to administer booster doses, including the Vancouver Convention Centre, which will serve the Lower Mainland.

The province said there is potential for 130,000 shots to be administered during the month of January at that location.

With more clinic expansion continuing to happen throughout the health authorities, vaccination capacity is expected to increase by 62 per cent starting in January, while pharmacy capacity is also expected to increase next month.

“The increase in capacity will allow an accelerated booster program and ensure wait time remain reasonable,” Dix said during the news conference.

B.C. is continuing its booster dose rollout with a risk-based approach, giving priority to those most at-risk of severe illness and death.

Those groups include those over 65, health-care workers, and those who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Earlier this month, residents over age 65 started receiving invitations to book booster appointments.

“This age-based rollout will continue at an accelerated pace with invites sent out when appointments can be guaranteed,” Dix said.

As of Sunday, 67 per cent of those over age 70 received their booster dose, while more than 50 per cent of those over age 65 had received theirs.

The province said Tuesday all those over age 50 should receive invitations to book their booster dose by the end of January or earlier.

As of Sunday, health officials said 727,761 booster doses had been administered to those who are eligible.