Viriginia Kirkham, 85, of Williams Lake receives her first COVID-19 vaccine administered by public health nurse Aimee Palin at the Williams Lake Health Clinic on March 24. (Photo credit: Monica Lamb-Yorski)

COVID vaccine clinics coming to Ashcroft and Clinton in April

Clinics are for all residents of Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Clinton, and area aged 18 and over

Interior Health will be holding community clinics for COVID-19 vaccinations of all residents aged 18 and over in Ashcroft and Clinton in April. The clinics will serve all residents of the region from Spences Bridge to Clinton.

The clinics are a continuation of the roll out of targeted clinics in several rural and remote provincial communities, such as Prince Rupert. They are being held in communities with small populations that have barriers to accessing immunization clinics in larger centres, such as distance.

The Ashcroft clinic will take place at the Ashcroft HUB from Monday, April 26 to Thursday, May 6, and is for all residents aged 18 and over in Ashcroft, Cache Creek, Spences Bridge, and the surrounding area who have not yet had their first COVID-19 vaccine by the time the clinic starts. The venue was originally the Drylands Arena, but IH has changed its plans and the HUB is now the venue.

The Clinton clinic will take place at the Clinton Health Centre from Thursday, April 15 to Monday, April 19. It is for all residents aged 18 and over in Clinton and the surrounding area who have not yet had their first COVID-19 vaccine by the time the clinic starts.

Plans to provide transportation for those without it will be announced closer to the clinic dates. For a full list of all the clinic dates and locations within the Interior Health region, go to https://bit.ly/3vYrTgc.

Interior Health does not yet know which vaccine will be administered.

People may be expected to provide identification to prove they reside in the applicable community/area. Appointments are necessary — there will be no drop-ins — and residents will be able to make an appointment in advance by calling 1-877-740-7747, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. PST, seven days a week.

Interior Health reminds people that its call centre will never ask for financial information, credit card details, or social insurance numbers. The opportunity to book appointments online is planned for the nearfuture, but no details have yet been released.

When you call to register for a COVID-19 vaccine appointment, you will be asked for your legal name; date of birth; postal code; personal health number (PHN) from a Care Card or the back of a B.C. driver’s licence or B.C. services card; and current contact information, such as an email address or phone number that is regularly checked.

Until the clinics start, vaccinations will continue by age. To see if you are considered clinically extremely vulnerable and eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine starting March 29, visit https://bit.ly/2NPL22F. To learn more about B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization plan, the phased roll out approach, and eligible front line workers, visit https://bit.ly/3vR6q8V.


editorial@accjournal.caLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Ashcroft Cache Creek Journal