More than 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines have found arms in the North Okanagan, with roughly 40 per cent of the region’s population having received their first dose.
Data provided to Black Press Media by Interior Health (IH) shows that by the end of Wednesday, April 28, IH had administered roughly 24,500 first doses in Vernon, and more than 1,200 second doses, for a total of 26,726 shots.
Coldstream and Vernon are lumped into the same local health area in IH’s vaccine distribution breakdown.
Anyone aged 18 and older can currently register for a vaccine appointment in B.C.
According to 2020 population estimates, there are about 61,000 people 18 and older living in the Vernon health area, for a first-dose vaccination rate of 39 per cent.
That vaccination rate is in line with —and the biggest driver of — the rate across the region as a whole.
According to 2021 population estimates from BC Stats, there are about 78,600 people 18 and older living in the North Okanagan — a region including Armstrong, Coldstream, Enderby, Lumby, Spallumcheen, Vernon and other unincorporated areas.
Those communities have seen 28,965 first doses administered so far, with 1,366 second doses bringing the total number of shots above the 30,000 mark. That works out to about 37 per cent of North Okanagan adults who have received their first vaccine dose and 1.7 per cent who have had their second jab.
READ MORE: Nearly a third of Central Okanagan adults vaccinated
Revelstoke’s vaccination rate is tops in the region, with 67 per cent of its population having received their first dose. Just under 6,000 first doses have been administered in the community.
Across the whole IH region, almost 275,000 doses have been delivered. Of those, 260,345 were first doses and 14,071 were second doses.
“Interior Health’s immunization campaign is running at full speed and I couldn’t be more proud,” said IH president and CEO Susan Brown. “We have immunized more than 35 per cent of people living in the Interior region and every dose brings us closer to widespread immunization in IH. This is our biggest tool in the fight against COVID-19.”
Anyone aged 18 and older can register for a notification telling them when it is their turn to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment through B.C.’s age-based rollout. Visit getvaccinated.gov.bc.ca for more information on how to register.
Additionally, adults over 30 years old can choose to be vaccinated at a local pharmacy. Participating pharmacies are listed on the BC Pharmacy Association website with details describing how to book through them directly.
– With files from Michael Rodriguez
READ MORE: Canadian seniors vaccinated in higher numbers for COVID-19 than for the flu: PHAC
