Health officials are trying to boost vaccination rates in Chilliwack with walk-in clinics geared to meeting the 12-to-40 age group “where they’re at.”
COVID-19 vaccination clinics are scheduled for Main Beach in Cultus Lake Park on Friday, July 9, as well as on Monday, July 12 at the Neighbourhood Learning Centre (beside CSS), and on Sunday, July 18 at the Downtown Chilliwack Community Market (Mill St. Parking Lot).
All three clinics will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no appointments needed.
“There are social barriers and transportation challenges in Chilliwack North that do not make access to a vaccination clinic easy,” said Dr. Ralph Jones, a COVID lead physician for Fraser East.
These clinics are aimed at reaching teens and the under-40 demographic “where they’re at,” the health official said, with clinics in different locations to make it easier for people to get their first doses.
“This is a remarkable cooperative effort responding to an urgent need,” said Dr. Jones about the joint effort between public health, Fraser Health and local physicians. Several walk-in vaccinations clinics opened in recent months around Chilliwack, including the most recent at the Neighbourhood Learning Centre, Rosedale Traditional School, Chilliwack Mall and CGH’s Newman Centre.
These efforts cumulatively have increased the number of those vaccinated locally, Jones said, moving the community from a ‘red’ zone eight weeks ago to ‘yellow’ zone more recently, which is just below the provincial average.
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