B.C. moves to Phase 3 of COVID-19 Immunization Plan, introducing online booking

The B.C. Government is proceeding to Phase 3 of its COVID-19 Immunization Plan, which will allow those 71 and older, Indigenous people 18 and older, and those critically extremely vulnerable to book their vaccine appointment starting Tuesday.

The next phase will also introduce a new online system, ‘Get Vaccinated‘, in order for people to register and book their COVID-19 vaccine appointment.

“British Columbians faced the countless challenges of this past year with incredible courage,” said Premier John Horgan. “Today marks a major milestone in our fight against COVID-19, and we ask everyone to wait their turn and follow three steps to help put this pandemic behind us.”

The three steps to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment are as follows:

1. Register
   • Register when it is your turn and get a confirmation code
2. Book
   • Book a vaccine appointment when you get an email, text or phone call telling you you are eligible to book, based on your age
3. Get vaccinated
   • Visit a vaccine clinic to get your vaccine dose

Starting at 8:00 am (PT) on Tuesday, April 6th, 2021, the B.C. Government is opening vaccine appointment bookings to people born in 1950 or earlier, Indigenous people 18 years and older, or those who are deemed “critically extremely vulnerable” by the Province.

While the online ‘Get Vaccinated’ system is launching on Tuesday, appointments can still be booked over the phone or in-person as well. The three ways to book are as follows:

• Online
  • gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated
• Telephone
  • 1-833-838-2323
• In-person
  • Nearest Service BC location

“We encourage everyone in B.C. to get their vaccine at their first opportunity, when it is their turn,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health.

“With more vaccine supply, we are taking an important step into Phase 3 of our immunization plan, and I encourage anyone who has questions to go to the BC Centre for Disease Control website to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines we have here in B.C.,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer. “Every vaccine delivered makes all of us safer – let’s keep our momentum going and get everyone who wants one, their first dose by Canada Day.”

The B.C. Government is asking that people wait until their age cohort is available before attempting to register in an effort to persevere system capacity, and allowing those that are eligible to smoothly book their COVID-19 vaccination.

According to the Province, nearly 770,000 British Columbians who were eligible to get a vaccine have done so, with 87,000 receiving their second dose. The Province predicts that if the vaccine supply is delivered as scheduled, every resident in British Columbia who can get a vaccine should be able to get their first dose by the end of June.