B.C. call centres open to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments for elderly, Indigenous

Call centres open today across British Columbia to book COVID-19 vaccine appointments for some of the province's most elderly residents.

B.C. says the vaccine call centres will open at 7 a.m. at the Fraser, Island, Interior, Northern and Vancouver Coastal health authorities to make appointments for people 90 years and older and Indigenous people who are 65 and older or identify as elders.

Health authorities announced dozens of sites Sunday where B.C.'s most elderly residents will go to receive their vaccine.

Island Health's pandemic planner Victoria Schmid says people 90 years old and older and Indigenous people 65 and older who make appointments this week will get their COVID-19 vaccine next week.

Health Minister Adrian Dix says anyone who is not in the specified age groups, or is not calling on behalf of someone who is, should hang up right away to allow elderly residents to make their appointments.

She says those born in 1936 or earlier can start calling for appointments on March 15 and those born in 1941 or earlier can start to schedule their vaccine appointments March 22.

Schmid says the plan aims to have all people in the province 80 years and older and Indigenous people 65 and older receiving one shot of COVID-19 vaccine by April 12.