The provincial vaccine passport order will come into effect on Sept. 13 and many British Columbians are wanting to know what they should do to prepare.
In August, provincial officials announced that a new order from the provincial health officer will require proof of vaccination to attend certain social and recreational settings and events.
As of Sept. 13, people aged 12 and older will be required to show proof of one dose of vaccine for entry to a broad range of discretionary events and businesses throughout the province.
You'll be able to show your proof of vaccination easily using the B.C. vaccine card website. The website will be available by Sept. 13 and provide access to your vaccine records.
You'll be able to save your vaccine card to your smartphone and show it when accessing events, services and businesses. A secure paper option will also be available.
To access your B.C. vaccine card, you'll need to provide:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Personal Health Number (PHN)
How can you make sure you are ready?
Confirm your immunization records
You should confirm your immunization records are correct as soon as possible. To view and confirm your immunization records, register for B.C.'s online Health Gateway.
If you believe your immunization record is wrong, you'll need to get it updated by calling 1-833-838-2323.
If you got one or two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in another province or country, you must:
- Register with the Get Vaccinated provincial registration system
- Submit proof of an official immunization record. It will be entered into the Provincial Immunization Registry
Note: This process will take approximately two to three weeks.
Get your Personal Health Number ready
To access the secure website, your Personal Health Number (PHN) will be required.
Find your PHN on the back of your B.C. driver's licence, BC Services Card or CareCard.
If you're visiting from outside of B.C., you'll be asked to show a provincially/territorially officially recognized vaccine record as well as government identification.
What if you haven't been vaccinated?
The message from provincial officials is clear: get vaccinated.
If you haven't been vaccinated yet, you may find it difficult to access some events, services, and businesses.
Visit one of the drop-in clinics located in communities across B.C. You don't need an appointment.
If you'd prefer to make an appointment to get vaccinated, you may register online.
