Port Renfrew is getting a shot in the arm.
The village, 70 kilometres west of Sooke, is one of 13 remote Vancouver Island communities that could see the entire adult population vaccinated during two clinic openings this week as part of Island Health’s “whole-community approach.”
The clinics are scheduled for Wednesday (March 24) and Thursday (March 25) in Port Renfrew.
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Other Island communities hosting clinics are Bamfield, Cortes Island, Denman Island, Gabriola Island, Galiano Island, Gold River, Hornby Island, Kyuquot, Lasqueti Island, Mayne Island, North Pender Island, Penelakut, Port Alice, Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Quadra Island, Read Island, Saturna Island, Sayward, Sointula, South Pender Island, Tahsis, Thetis Island, Tofino, Ucluelet, and Zeballos.
There is a unique call centre for the whole-community process.
Port Renfrew residents can call 877-795-0755 (7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily) to book an appointment. Only residents of the community will be booked through this dedicated call centre.
When residents call to book a whole-community appointment, officials will need their first and last name, date of birth, postal code, personal health number, and phone number.
Anyone who can’t make their community’s scheduled date will have to wait until their age cohort is eligible to book at a larger clinic.
“For residents over age 80 who live in these communities, if the whole community approach clinic is not scheduled prior to April 12, Island Health will ensure you have the opportunity to be vaccinated in/close to your community prior to April 12,” Island Health stated in a press release.
In March 2020, Port Renfrew residents asked visitors to postpone trips to the community as the coronavirus threat grew. Beaches, marinas, campgrounds and accommodations were closed. The community reopened three months later.
RELATED: Port Renfrew reopening June 1
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