Health officials and the City of Richmond are ramping up their efforts to boost COVID-19 vaccination rates among seniors.
Two drop-in clinics will be operating in the city centre area, starting this week, for Richmond seniors aged 65 and older and their caregivers who haven’t received their first dose.
The clinics will be held Friday, June 18 and Friday, June 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Seniors Centre at the Minoru Centre for Active Living, 7191 Granville Ave.
Appointments will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. The site is accessible, and onsite help including translation services is available if needed.
Richmond is one of the areas where health officials are looking to boost vaccination rates.
“There are some pockets where there’s still more work to be done, both to encourage people to be immunized, and to make sure they have access to vaccines,” said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry during last Thursday’s COVID-19 press conference.
That includes, she said, “some parts of the Lower Mainland, particularly in Richmond.”
As of June 14, 79 per cent of adults in Richmond aged 50 and up had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to data from the BC Centre for Disease Control. Most other Lower Mainland regions are at over 80 per cent for that age group.
The data also breaks down vaccination coverage at a community level across the city, with city centre reporting the lowest rate. As of June 14, coverage for adults aged 50 and older was:
- City Centre: 74 per cent
- Broadmoor: 76 per cent
- Blundell: 77 per cent
- Thompson/Seafair: 79 per cent
- East and West Cambie/Bridgeport: 81 per cent
- Gilmore/Shellmont/East/Hamilton: 82 per cent
- Steveston: 87 per cent
Meanwhile, 75 per cent of all adults 18 and older in Richmond, and 74 per cent of those 12 and up, received at least one dose as of June 14.
Health Minister Adrian Dix noted, while work continues to boost vaccination rates, the gap between Richmond and other regions is closing. He said last Thursday the city is above the provincial average in terms of vaccine registration.
Appointments for second doses as well as for residents aged 18 and older are available through B.C.’s Get Vaccinated system. People will be able to book a second dose appointment once they have received an invitation to do so.
