Victoria – Starting Tuesday, April 8, free additional COVID-19 vaccines will be available to people in B.C., with a focus on those who are at higher risk of severe illness.
“While the peak of respiratory illnesses has passed, influenza, COVID-19 and RSV are still here, and we must continue to practise healthy habits to keep illnesses from spreading,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer for British Columbia. “This is particularly important as spring break ends, a period when many people have been travelling. This is a reminder to stay home if you are sick, and if you need medical care, to call ahead so you can be seen safely.”
The spring COVID-19 vaccine will be available throughout the province at approximately 400 pharmacies, as well as regional health-authority clinics, some primary-care offices, community health centres, long-term care homes and First Nations communities. Public health units will also have vaccine available for children under 12.
“For people at the highest risk of serious illness, an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can boost their immunity through the spring and summer,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “That’s why notifications to priority populations will go out starting April 8.”
Based on guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, B.C. health officials recommend that the following people receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine this spring:
* adults 65 years and older, with a particular focus on people over 80 years;
* Indigenous adults 55 years and older;
* adult residents of long-term care homes and assisted-living facilities (including those awaiting placement); and
* individuals six months and older who have been diagnosed as clinically extremely vulnerable (a CEV 1 or CEV 2).
Notifications to book appointments will be sent out to priority populations beginning April 8, 2025. The spring vaccine program will end on June 30, 2025. Anyone else who feels they would benefit from an additional dose of the COVID-19 vaccine can consult with their health-care provider, contact the call centre at 1 833 838-2323 to book an appointment or call a pharmacy for availability.
With an increasing number of measles cases reported in B.C. and the resurgence of measles cases worldwide, public health officials are encouraging people in B.C. to check their immunization records to ensure they are up to date with their measles immunization by going on Health Gateway or connecting with their health-care provider, and if needed, to book an appointment to get a free measles vaccine.
