Island Health closes two COVID-19 vaccine clinics because of extreme heat

Vancouver -

A pair of COVID-19 vaccine clinics on Vancouver Island closed Saturday due to extreme heat.

Island Health said in a tweet around 2:15 p.m. that the clinics at Eagle Ridge Arena in Langford and at Cowichan Lake Sports Arena in Lake Cowichan would close "immediately" for the rest of the day. 

"Island Health will ensure everyone with booked appointments is contacted to re-book as soon as possible," the health authority said.

The closure of the two clinics on Saturday afternoon followed the relocation of a clinic in Ladysmith, which Island Health announced on Friday. 

That clinic was relocated from Aggie Hall in Ladysmith to the Cedar Community Centre in Nanaimo, approximately 12 kilometers away.

The reason for the change, according to the health authority, was to ensure the safety of clients, staff and volunteers during the record-breaking heat wave currently gripping B.C. Aggie Hall does not have air conditioning, while the Cedar Community Centre does.

As of 5 p.m. Saturday, the temperature in Duncan was 37 C, according to Environment Canada. At Victoria International Airport, it was 35 C.

The Island clinics were not the only ones affected by the extreme heat Saturday.

On the mainland, Fraser Health closed a clinic in Abbotsford early for the same reason. 

In their final pandemic update of the week on Friday, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix recommended that those with vaccine appointments check to make sure their clinics were still operational, saying the high temperatures were likely to cancel or relocate some pop-up events.