Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) has added availability to Whistler's COVID-19 vaccine clinic scheduled for Wednesday, April 28.
The health authority originally organized the extra clinic day at the conference centre for those 18 and up with a primary residence or who work in Whistler following a one-week, community-wide vaccination campaign that concluded April 18.
When this story was originally published earlier today, the VCH online booking site indicated that all appointments for tomorrow were booked up, but the health authority has confirmed to Pique that additional spots have been added to keep up with demand.
"Tomorrow (April 28), VCH is holding one more all-day clinic, only for people who could not attend during that week because they were self-isolating," read an emailed statement.
Those eligible can still book their immunization appointment for tomorrow at vch.ca/covid-19/covid-19-vaccine/whistler-vaccination.
Meanwhile, vaccine supplies are currently low at several local pharmacies. Both Nesters Market (b.telehippo.com/o/nesterspha) and Rexall Marketplace (rexall.ca/covid-19/vaccines) confirmed there were no vaccines in stock at press time, with a representative for Rexall adding that they have been given no timeline for resupply. Shoppers Drug Mart (covid-19.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/vaccine) has limited stock remaining of the AztraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine for eligible patients aged 40 and up.
Patients can also join the online waiting list at any local pharmacy and they will be notified when doses become available.
VCH has also opened up immunization appointments to first responders and frontline workers across the Sea to Sky, with appointments available for eligible police, firefighters, educational staff and childcare workers with a direct invite from their employer at the Pemberton Community Centre and Brennan Park Recreation Centre in Squamish. First responders in Whistler received their vaccines earlier this month. Visit vchcovid19vaccine.com to register.
It's unclear exactly how many Whistlerites have been immunized so far, although a spokesperson for B.C.'s health ministry told Pique this week that the province is working with health authorities on a standardized way to report immunization rates by health authority and local health area. That information is expected to be made available within the next few weeks, the spokesperson said.
Whistler continues to see its COVID-19 transmission rate slowing down following the outbreak of recent weeks, with 72 new lab-confirmed cases between April 12 to 18, down from 179 the week prior. Between Jan. 1 and April 18, the resort has tallied 1,759 COVID cases, of which 1,688 individuals have recovered.
