B.C.’s essential workers, aside from those in health care, will not get priority access to the AstraZeneca vaccine to protect themselves and others from COVID-19 until late April.
This includes teachers, dentists, and truck drivers – many of whom have recently called upon the provincial government to vaccinate the frontline employees in their sector.
“It’s important for both their safety and peace of mind that they get vaccinated,” said Teri Mooring, president of BC Teachers’ Federation.
She told Black Press Media that numerous COVID-19 variants detected in Fraser Health region schools have made teacher’s need for vaccinations an urgent one.
RELATED: Why it’s ‘urgent’ B.C. teachers get vaccinated from COVID-19 before summer
Health Minister Adrian Dix confirmed this week the first 68,000 doses of the vaccine scheduled to arrive will be used to address coronavirus clusters and community outbreaks.
This comes as health officials accelerate mass COVID-19 vaccinations of second doses in older residents, with bookings for 84-year-olds starting noon on Monday.
Those 83 and older can call their health authority to book an injection Tuesday, followed by 82 and older Wednesday, 81 and older Thursday and 80 and older on Friday.
Call centres are processing vaccination appointment bookings ahead of schedule. This week:
* ​Mon, Mar 15: 84+ (1937)
*​ Tues, Mar 16: 83+ (1938)
*​ Wed, Mar 17: 82+ (1939)
*​ Thurs, Mar 18: 81+ (1940)
* ​Fri, Mar 19: 80+ (1941)https://t.co/RJigAL4Sx7 pic.twitter.com/OxpeuSKENC— Adrian Dix (@adriandix) March 15, 2021
As of Friday (March 12), 380,743 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered to people, 87,024 had received both doses needed for full immunity from the virus.
Health Canada authorized the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in late February.
READ MORE: B.C. dentists and bus drivers want newly-approved Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine
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