Family physicians from the Kelowna community are answering Interior Health’s call to help to expedite B.C.’s vaccine rollout program.
“I think it’s one of the most important things I’ve done in my career,” said Dr. Wendy Wickstrom, a Kelowna family physician.
“I wanted to do anything I could to speed that process up.”
Family doctors have been asked to participate in the vaccine rollout program.
They, along with Interior Health staff, are working hard to immunize Kelowna’s most vulnerable.
Wickstrom said it’s an honour to serve the public and be part of the historical immunization program.
“It’s huge. I’ve been practicing for 30 years and this is the first time something like this has come up and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
Interior Health said the willing participation from the doctors is a great representation of the tight knit community in Kelowna.
“We are so happy to have the volunteers and non-Interior Health staff to support us and the immunization campaign,” said Danielle Cameron, Interior Health’s executive director of clinical operations.
“It’s really great to see the enthusiasm from everyone in the health sector to help support the immunizations and to help provide vaccines to our communities.”
One of the allied essential health workers that got immunized on Thursday was Ingrid Witt, a physiotherapist in Kelowna.
She said getting her vaccine was a massive sigh of relief.
“It’s fantastic. As an allied health-care professional, I’m really excited that we were able to get things wrapped up and get going so quickly,” said Witt.
“It means a lot to me because I’m in direct contact with patients everyday of different ages, so it helps me protect them.”
More than 300,000 front-line workers will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations over the coming weeks as B.C. pushes forward its immunization plan.