Jul 13, 2021 7:18 PM - Pervez Sandhu - Connect News Team
A Mobile Vaccine Bus will be stationed in White Rock this Wednesday as Fraser Health, TransLink, and the City of White Rock partner to make COVID-19 vaccines more accessible.
The specially equipped transit bus – air-conditioned and set up as a walk-in clinic – will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 14 in the east parking lot of the 15400-block Marine Drive. Fraser Health says all residents aged 12 and older are welcome, including those without a personal health number or who are new to B.C.
Health officials say the initiative is part of efforts to close the gap in first-dose coverage across the region. “We know transportation and access can be barriers,” said a Fraser Health spokesperson. “This bus allows us to meet people where they are.”
In this time of uncertainity, especially for seniors, residents welcomed the approach. Tarsem Brar, a senior who lives nearby, said he planned to get his first dose at the bus. “It’s close to home, so I don’t have to book or arrange a ride. That makes a huge difference for me.”
The mobile bus will also manage limited second-dose appointments: those eligible and placed on a wait list may be texted to return later in the day if supply allows. The program comes as B.C. continues to push toward province-wide vaccination targets and debates how to safely reopen community events and businesses.