Residents of the Downtown Eastside acquired their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on Friday as a part of Vancouver Coastal Well being’s efforts to immunize precedence populations.
The well being authority stated that, given the twin public well being emergencies of the pandemic and the overdose disaster, the neighborhood is particularly susceptible to the impacts of COVID-19.
The 4 drop-in clinics had been arrange at Carnergie Centre, Pender Group Well being Centre, Downton Group Well being Centre, and Union Gospel Mission.
The momentary clinics are supposed to offer broader entry to vaccines, Vancouver Coastal Well being stated, quite than the site-by-site strategy taken beforehand.
Those that are homeless, in addition to residents of shelters, SROs, or supportive housing, had been eligible to obtain a vaccine on the websites.
Vaccines have arrived within the DTES.
My crew at @Binners_Project made about 50 telephone calls this morning to get individuals into traces on the 4 drop in websites right now.
It doesn’t really feel like an exaggeration to say that this is among the most vital issues we’ve carried out previously 12 months. pic.twitter.com/x5H7wjQS7n
— Brianne De Man (@BrianneDeMan) January 29, 2021
The well being authority famous that it had seen clusters of COVID-19 circumstances in congregate settings, akin to shelters and SROs, the place bodily distancing is tough.
Provincial Well being Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry reiterated the necessity to vaccinate the province’s susceptible populations at a Friday afternoon press convention.
“Now we have transmission in a few of our shelters,” Henry stated.
“We all know that individuals in these conditions are more likely to get extreme sickness, find yourself in hospital. So we’re doing a little focused immunization in these communities.”
