Most teens in B.C. will be vaccinated against COVID-19 at immunization centres rather than at their schools.
About 310,000 people between the ages of 12 and 17 can now receive Pfizer vaccination shots, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said Thursday.
Teens can book their own vaccination appointments or have their parents do it for them, Henry said. She said people should see getting vaccinated together as a fun family activity over the Victoria Day long weekend.
"It's an exciting step for all of us, and we know that youth are excited, not only because it's important to protect themselves but because they know it's important to protect their families and their loved ones," Henry said.
"I hear from youths that they want their lives back, so that we can get to that new future where we're able to socialize again and spend time together with those that we love," Henry said.
The B.C. Teachers Federation has called on the government to vaccinate teens at schools.
"Setting up in-school vaccination clinics is the best way to vaccinate as many eligible students as possible in the shortest amount of time, focusing initially on the schools experiencing the highest number of exposures," BCTF president Terri Mooring said in a release.
But during the Thursday briefing, Henry said in-school vaccination clinics would only be used in a few places. She said the most efficient way to get teens vaccinated is through after-school and weekend clinics using immunization centres that are already staffed and resourced.
"In some cases, (vaccinations) will be in schools," she said. "But we have consulted with public health, our youth groups, and families, and we found the most effective way for youth to be immunized and for families to go together is to do it through the clinics that we have established around the province."
Between Wednesday and Thursday, 357 people tested positive for COVID-19 in B.C., including 33 in the Interior Health region. New daily infections in B.C. peaked in early April at about 1,200.
Premier John Horgan joined the Thursday briefing to stress that people should not travel this long weekend. The ban on non-essential travel between three regions of the province, as well as the ban on indoor dining at restaurants and pubs, will remain in place until at least after the long weekend.
"This is an exciting time for us as we see case counts coming down and the burden on our hospitals lessening somewhat, and some light at the end of the tunnel," Horgan said.
"But there are public health orders in place," he said. "Not to the beginning of the long weekend, but to the end of the long weekend."
On Tuesday, Horgan will lay out the province's plan to once again ease the public health restrictions.
"We're all excited about a positive summer and a hopeful fall, but we have to get there first," he said. "That means adhering to the restrictions that are in place throughout the weekend. I'm confident British Columbians can make this modest sacrifice for one more long weekend."
Existing clinics, not schools, best place for teenage vaccinations - Henry - The Daily Courier
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