Island Health launches 'Vax Van' to administer COVID-19 vaccines at summer destinations
Health-care workers on Vancouver Island are hitting the road in a custom van this summer in an effort to vaccinate as many people as possible against COVID-19.
Island Health’s “Vax Van” will be making stops at parks, beaches, shopping centres and events across the island, starting Thursday.
“The sun is out and people are active, so we are hitting the road to meet them where they are,” said Dr. Mike Benusic in a statement Thursday.
“Immunization opportunities like this will help us to reach as many young and unvaccinated people as we can before school goes back in session and people move indoors in the fall,” Benusic said.
The van is offering first-dose vaccines only, with no appointment required. Anyone in need of a second dose is advised to make an appointment at their nearest mass-immunization clinic.
The first scheduled stops for the van are:
The van will be heading to Port Alberni, Oceanside, the Comox Valley, Campbell River, Langford and Sooke in the coming weeks, according to Island Heath.
A full schedule will be updated on Island Health’s website as dates and locations are confirmed.
Those who show up to get vaccinated at the van events are advised to stay hydrated and have something to eat before attending.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.