B.C. to open COVID-19 vaccine booking to people aged 40+ next week

British Columbia is significantly ramping up its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, with people aged 40 and up becoming eligible to book their shot next week.

The province is expecting more than 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine throughout May, fuelling a surge in vaccinations.

“The age for booking is going to be dropping precipitously over the next weeks,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Thursday.

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“We will be setting more records in the coming weeks in terms of vaccination. So this is the time for everybody — I mean everybody — especially in communities that have higher rates of transmission, but everywhere in B.C., everyone to register for their COVID-19 vaccine.”

Once an individual is registered through B.C.’s Get Vaccinated website, they will receive a text or email notifying them when it’s their turn to book their shot.

Officials are also urging people to register to help coordinate when it is time for people to receive their second doses.

Booking for people born in 1981 or before will proceed according to the following schedule:

• Friday, May 7: 46+ (1975) after 7 p.m.
• Sunday, May 9: 43+ (1978) after 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 11: 40+ (1981) after 7 p.m.

To register, people will need to provide their personal health number, postal code, birthday, and a phone number that can receive text messages or an email address they check regularly.

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Earlier Thursday, Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health also announced they would begin offering COVID-19 vaccines to all grocery store workers in the health region aged 18 and up.

The health authorities will be using Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for the campaign.

Workers will be provided with an access code they can use to book their vaccinations. Vancouver Coastal Health workers are being asked to register here, while workers in Fraser Health can register here.