Some B.C. residents booking fall boosters without invitations
A number of eager British Columbians have managed to schedule a fall booster of COVID-19 vaccine without an invitation – though officials stress that protecting the most vulnerable remains their priority.
Over the last two days, several social media users have reported successfully booking an appointment by calling the province's vaccine hotline, with some managing to receive their fourth dose just hours later.
"You don't need an invite for the bivalent vaccine," one Reddit user wrote on Sunday. "Sharing because public health messaging is making this way harder than it really is."
Others followed suit and had similar results, including Milton Gonzalez, who told CTV News he was able to book booster appointments for himself, his wife and their children on Monday.
"I saw the post on Reddit so I called into the number," Gonzalez said. "That was it."
Their appointments were all scheduled within 48 hours of his call, he added.
While he is not personally considered high-risk of complications from COVID-19, Gonzalez said he's been anxious to get additional protection.
"My last dose was in January, so it's been almost 10 months," said Gonzalez, who is in his 40s. "And we've seen during the last two or three weeks lots of people getting sick because of COVID – some people in my work, some of my friends."
Other Reddit users reported that they were able to get a booster just by walking into a neighbourhood pharmacy without an appointment – though a number of others reported being turned down both on the hotline and in person.
Asked whether the government discourages people from trying their luck on the hotline, B.C.'s Ministry of Health noted that invitations are going out in a determined order based on a variety of risk factors.
"As we have done during other stages of the pandemic, we must protect our most vulnerable, our health-care system, our communities and the economy," the ministry wrote in an email.
Officials said they are not opposed to people proactively calling for an appointment if they have waited at least six months since their previous dose, are at least 18 years old, and "feel a booster dose is necessary" for a particular reason – for instance, if someone is caring for a family member who is high-risk.
Invites are currently being extended to those age 43 or older in the general population, Indigenous people of all ages, those considered extremely clinically vulnerable, and health-care workers.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has recommended a six-month interval between third and fourth doses. Anyone who has recently caught COVID-19 is also advised to hold off on getting a booster until three months after their infection, for the strongest immune response.
As of Monday morning, approximately 1.75 million invitations had been sent, according to the province.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.