Provincial Health Orders requires all medical staff working in Island Health facilities or under contract with Island Health (regardless of location of work) be vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Updated October 7, 2022 - Important Vaccination Information
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October 7, 2022
Minister's, provincial health officer’s statement on approval of more bivalent vaccines
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, have released the following joint statement on the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.September 16, 2022
Get boosted to protect from COVID-19
Island Health employees are encouraged to stay up-to-date with boosters to protect yourself, those around you and the health care system. Boosters provide the best protection against severe illness as we move into the fall and winter respiratory seasons.COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health-care system workers remain in place
In order to protect the province’s most vulnerable and the overall health-care system, COVID-19 vaccination requirements for health-care system workers continue to be in place.September 9, 2022
Provincial Health Officer Fall Booster Campaign Briefing September 6, 2022
COVID-19 Fall Booster Campaign Briefing from the British Columbia Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry. Topics within this document include: Time for Fall Boosters, Registering Children for their Vaccine, Key Elements of Fall Booster Campaign, Plan for Fall 2022 Booster and more.September 7, 2022
Fall booster doses, bivalent vaccine available soon
People will soon be able to get better protection against COVID-19, as the Province rolls out the new combination bivalent vaccine through its fall booster program. This new vaccine will be available to all adults over the age of 18 and youth from 12 to 17 years who are at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. Invitations will go out over the coming days and weeks.Update: Fall COVID Boosters
Island Health's public health teams and community pharmacies are preparing to offer COVID-19 booster shots to everyone aged 5 and older this fall. Health care workers are a priority population for the fall vaccine rollout.July 14, 2022
B.C. encourages parents to register children under 5 for COVID-19 vaccine
Approximately 208,000 eligible infants and children in British Columbia between six months and four years of age will soon be able to receive vaccine protection against COVID-19.July 8, 2022
B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization plan continues with fall booster
People in B.C. can look ahead to their next COVID-19 vaccine dose with the Province announcing a fall booster program as the next step in its COVID-19 immunization plan.April 28, 2022
Second boosters
The Healthcare Provider Q&A for COVID-19 vaccines was updated with some additional content on second booster doses.
April 5, 2022
Spring Boosters and Vaccine Passports:
- To protect seniors and Elders, the Province has begun rolling out a spring booster vaccine program for seniors in long-term care and assisted living facilities. Community-dwelling seniors over the age of 70 and Indigenous people over the age of 55 will also begin receiving their invitations for their spring booster dose – a new booster dose for eligible seniors who received their third shot six months ago or more.
- People who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) continue to be prioritized for their COVID-19 vaccinations. Those who have received their full three-dose primary series are eligible for their first booster dose about six months after their previous dose.
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Starting on Friday, April 8, 2022, at 12:01 a.m., the following changes will take place: Showing the BC Vaccine Card proof of vaccination to access events, services and businesses will no longer be required.
To read more click here.
NEW VACCINE: A new vaccine, Novavax, has been approved by Health Canada and is expected to arrive in BC in the next week to 10 days. This is another option for people who have been unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine. Novavax, a Protein Subunit vaccine, is appropriate for people aged 18 or older. Novavax vaccinations can be booked through the provincial call centre at 1.833.838.2323.
February 15, 2022
Vaccine boosters & 3rd doses (Updated)
February 9, 2022
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Update on vaccination requirement for health professionals
The provincial health officer is finalizing, in consultation with all health professional colleges, an order that requires all regulated health professionals to be vaccinated by March 24, 2022, to work in their occupation in British Columbia.
February 7, 2022
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NACI updates guidance on booster doses for people who have had COVID
Canada's National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has updated its guidance on booster doses for people who have had COVID, and is now recommending they wait three months before getting a booster shot.
January 13, 2022
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Boosters available for pregnant women
Effective today, women who are pregnant can book a COVID-19 booster vaccine if it has been at least eight weeks since they received their second vaccine dose.
October 13:
November:
Joint statement on Health Canada approval of COVID-19 pediatric vaccine
Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following statement regarding Health Canada’s approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11.Safe, effective COVID-19 pediatric vaccine available for children aged 5-11
Children in British Columbia five to 11 years old will soon have access to Pfizer’s COVID-19 pediatric vaccine.Vaccination for children 5-11 years old
Guidelines for Request for Exemption Process for Health Care Workers affected by the PHO Orders
Ensure you’re registered to get a COVID-19 booster
Booster Appointments for Health-Care Staff
Health-care workers in specific settings are a priority for a booster shot, and will be invited to get a vaccine between now and the end of January.Exemption:
If you receive your first dose ON OR BETWEEN October 26-November 14, 2021 you will be on unpaid leave for seven days after your first dose, at which point you can return to work with precautions. You must also commit to receiving your second dose 28-35 days after your first dose to remain eligible to work.
Booster Doses:
COVID Booster Doses for Health-care Workers
During the last few months of 2021, invitations to book booster doses will be sent to health-care workers who were immunized early and with shorter intervals between doses (e.g. ICUs, EDs and COVID units) – as well as people over age 70, and Indigenous people aged 12 and up. Starting in January, people in BC who had their second dose at least 6 months ago will get an invitation to book a booster dose.
The PHO Order provides an opportunity for current medical staff and service providers who are not yet vaccinated to continue working from October 26, 2021, onward, if they receive their first dose by no later than October 25, 2021. The scenarios are as follows:
If you have your first dose only (received BEFORE October 12, 2021) you can continue to work as scheduled with precautions, but must receive your second dose by November 14. 2021 to remain eligible to work. If you have your first dose only (received it ON OR BETWEEN October 12 – 25, 2021), you can continue to work with precautions, with a commitment to receive your second dose 28-35 days after your first dose, to remain eligible to work. If you have not received a first dose by October 25, 2021, you will be ineligible to work on October 26, 2021 or onward unless a first dose is received by November 14, 2021.
October 26:
Provincial Health Order for mandatory vaccination in all Acute and Community Care takes effect.
- Updates from Provincial Workplace Health Services – Physician Services
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Out of Province COVID vaccination reporting site
In our update dated June 18, 2021, we provided a provincial website that can be used to report out of province COVID-19 vaccination records. This site is no longer live.
Going forward, please provide any medical staff inquiring how to enter their out of province records with this updated link. https://immunizationrecord.gov.bc.ca/
Please feel free to reach out to our team if you have any questions or concerns.
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Updated: September 29, 2022 |
- Island Health Updates
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COVID-19 Vaccination Clinical Guidance
Updated: February 11, 2022Vaccine Distribution by Priority Population - BCCDC Updates
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Update to Immunization Control Manual
Updated: October 12, 2022World Health Organization Emergency Use Authorization Qualified COVID-19 Vaccines
Updated: July 29, 2022COVID-19 vaccination for children age 5-11 Frequently Asked Questions Adverse Events Following Immunization
Update to Communicable Disease Control Manual
Updated: March 17, 2022Vaccinations for special patient populations (clinically extremely vulnerable)
Updated: March 4, 2022Vaccination Aftercare: Possible Symptoms After Vaccination
Updated: March 1, 2022Updated Clinical Guidance on COVID-19 Vaccines: Hematological Malignancy
Updated on: March 1, 2022
Guidance Document on the Management of Inadvertent Vaccine Errors
New: February 4, 2022COVID- 19 Vaccines for People with Significant Neuromuscular Conditions
COVID- 19 Vaccines for People with Autoimmune Neuromuscular Disorders
Updated: January 26, 2022Updates to Immunization Manual
Updated: January 14, 2022Vaccine Considerations -
- COVID-19 Vaccines FAQs
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COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs 
COVID-19 Vaccine Questions and Answers for Healthcare Providers (CANVAX) -
COVID- 19 Vaccines for Persons with ARD
Updated: March 1, 2022 - Resources for Health Professionals
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BC Immunization Manual provides best practice guidelines for the provision of immunization services.
- All Vaccines: Immunization & Vaccine Training/Documentation
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- Anaphylaxis and Adverse Events
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Reporting Adverse Events (Reactions) Following Immunization (BCCDC) Anaphylaxis Protocol (Kit Version) Worksheet for Events Managed as Anaphylaxis Following Immunization (BCCDC) - Medicago Vaccine - Covifenz
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- Novavax vaccine
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- Moderna Vaccine
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- Pfizer Vaccine
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- Janssen Vaccine
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Booster dose considerations for those who received 1-dose Janssen vaccine
New: January 14, 2022Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine - Patient/Client information and Handouts
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COVID-19 Vaccine After Care Sheet (COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) (BCCDC) First Nations Health Authority: The facts about COVID-19 Vaccines Patient Resource
(New: January 29, 2021)
Information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information.