More than 12,000 people in the Shuswap have received their first COVID-19 vaccine, according to Interior Health.
Data provided to Black Press Media by Interior Health (IH) shows that by the end of Monday, May 3, IH had administered 10,398 first doses in the Salmon Arm health area, and 266 second doses. In the Sicamous area, 1,988 people had their first shot, with no second doses recorded as of Monday.
According to 2021 provincial population estimates, the Salmon Arm health area — which includes Sicamous, Malakwa, Falkland, Tappen and Sorrento — is home to 32,000 people aged 18 and older. Combining the total number of shots provided in Salmon Arm and Sicamous, that puts the region’s first-dose vaccination rate at 38.7 per cent.
The exact vaccination rates are unclear for Sicamous and Salmon Arm separately; an IH spokesperson noted that all Salmon Arm health area residents can go to vaccination clinics in either city, whether that’s their place of residence.
Meanwhile, more than 35,000 COVID-19 vaccines have found arms in the North Okanagan, with just over 43 per cent of the region’s population having received their first dose.
There are about 62,400 people 18 and older living in the Vernon health area — which includes surrounding municipalities like Lumby — for a first-dose vaccination rate of 47 per cent. That’s up from roughly 40 per cent since IH first provided vaccination numbers for the region (April 28). A total of 1,253 people in the health area received their second dose as of Monday.
In Enderby there have been 2,346 first doses administered, or 35 per cent of the health area’s 6,702 adults.
The Armstrong-Spallumcheen health area hasn’t seen any additional doses since last week, with first-dose totals remaining at 2,087. With just over 9,500 people aged 18 plus, 22 per cent of the area has had a first dose.
So far, 1.75 per cent of North Okanagan adults have had their second shot.
Read more: Nearly a third of Central Okanagan adults vaccinated
Read more: 16 months in, COVID cases in North Okanagan-Shuswap areas stay under 1,000
Across the whole IH region, nearly 168,000 doses had been delivered as of Monday. Of those, just over 160,000 were first doses and 7,855 were second.
Anyone aged 18 and older can register for a notification telling them when it is their turn to book a COVID-19 vaccination 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
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