Massive line for COVID-19 booster shots at Vancouver Convention Centre

Hundreds of people were forced to stand in line for hours to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot at the Vancouver Convention Centre Thursday.

The line stretched from the convention centre's east wing at Canada Place along the waterfront all the way to the convention centre's west wing, near the seaplane terminal.

Michael Silmont and his wife had appointments booked for 2 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. They waited outside in the line for about 45 minutes before seeing how big the wait was inside the building.

“There’s about another half an hour line up inside as if you’re going to a stadium, to me that is a high risk,” Silmont said. “The whole point of going to get a booster is not to get (COVID-19).”

Silmont and his wife abandoned the wait, saying having that many people inside seemed “concerning.” Silmont asked workers why the wait was so long.

“They said, well, because of the snow they were late starting today,” he said.

He and his wife have now rebooked appointments at a pharmacy for next week.

In a statement, Vancouver Coastal Health apologized for the inconvenience of wait times and thanked people for their patience. The health authority did not give a reason for the long delay, but the statement said, in part:

“We always experience some hiccups on the first few days of a new clinic, and we have never vaccinated this many people on Day 1 (3,600 people) and Day 2 (5,000 people).”

The health authority also added that drop-ins for booster shots will not be accommodated.

However, some waiting in the lineup Thursday reported that staff at the site were not checking to see whether people had appointments booked in the first place. 

Vaccination centres in Vancouver Coastal Health are open to walk-ins for those who have not yet received a first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Appointments are required for third doses and for children under age 12.