Vaccination update for the Sunshine Coast

On Jan. 13, Valerie Morrison was the first recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine at the initial immunization clinic on the Sunshine Coast. Morrison is a registered nurse who has worked at Totem Lodge in Sechelt for the past 30 years. Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is administering the vaccine to priority populations, including long-term care residents, staff, and essential visitors.
VCH media relations staff were unable to share details on the number of doses of the vaccine that have been received or administered locally. They also were unable to provide details on the arrival of additional doses in our area.
Correspondence requesting that COVID-19 vaccine distribution priority lists be amended to include critical infrastructure municipal employees is on Gibsons and Sechelt council meeting agendas for Jan. 19 and 20. The letter was sent to the provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix on Jan. 8 by the City of Nelson. That municipality circulated its request to all BC local governments for consideration.
The letter states that the groups the province has said will be first and second priorities for receiving the vaccine does not include essential service providers such as water, information technology, energy and utility workers. The City said it believes this does follow recommendations from Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization. It states that committee has indicated municipal workers identified as ‘essential’ should be prioritized to maintain reliable operation of critical infrastructure services and functions.
Connie Jordison