COVID-19: Drop-in second doses now available at Interior Health mobile clinics

Interior Health is now officially opening up mobile drop-in vaccine clinics to those needing a second dose.

The health authority changed its messaging around mobile drop-in clinics this week to officially include second doses.

Now, the pop-up COVID-19 vaccine sites are welcoming anyone who had their first doses at least seven weeks ago as well as those needing an initial shot.

“We’ve seen an increased demand for second doses for people that are eligible and so we are excited to be able to formally offer this now,” said Karyn Morash, Interior Health executive director in pandemic response.

Previously the mobile clinics were officially only for first doses, but the health authority had said publicly it wouldn’t be turning those eligible for second doses away.

That created somewhat of a loophole for those in the know.

“Because we weren’t turning people away who were eligible for second doses, the information about that opportunity was travelling by word of mouth from people who had attended the mobile clinics,” said Morash.

“Now by being able to actually include it formally in our public service announcement, we expect that we will actually get a greater turnout.”

Meanwhile, the health authority defended the way it has handled the second dose rollout.

“We are trying to create as many different opportunities for people as possible. Being able to book into a scheduled mass immunization clinic is a sure-fire opportunity to secure your second dose based on the interval guidelines set provincially and we are just excited to be able to offer another opportunity that might be closer to people’s homes,” Morash said.

2:14 Drop-in urban immunization clinics target B.C.’s Interior

Details of dates and times for upcoming mobile drop-in clinics are available on the Interior Health website.

The health authority has also added ongoing second dose drop-in times at some stationary vaccine clinics.

Those drop-in times were originally only for those seeking first doses but that has now also be expanded.