Friday December 31, 2021 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. | Island Social Trends
BC has now prioritized pregnant women for COVID boosters if they are six months (182 days) past their second dose.
Provincial Health Officer Dr Bonnie Henry said today these women should call the BC Vaccination call centre 1-833-838-2323 to book a booster appointment.
She noted that the system won’t likely know they are pregnant, so it’s up to them to make the call. If pregnant you can call in advance of the six-month interval (between dose 2 and dose 3), so you’re on file and be receiving a prompt invitation when six months comes up.
The BC Centre for Disease Control has information online about Pregnancy and COVID. “For most people, getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the safest choice to protect them from COVID-19,” says the BC CDC. This also applies to women who are breastfeeding their infants.
Boosters:
Booster shots are a third dose of the COVID vaccine products that are mRNA type (Pfizer and Moderna).
People who previously received two doses of AstraZeneca are already prioritized for boosters.
Appointments:
There are 240,000 people who’ve been sent COVID booster appointment invitations who have not yet booked an appointment.
Appointments can be booked online.
Vaccination locations:
Vaccinations will be done in pharmacies as well as some community centre locations (like arenas) that are opening up again as mass vaccination clinics.
Dr Henry says the COVID clinics are safe places without too much need for concern about exposure to Omicron. Workers are wearing PPE and following all health protocols. Appointments mean the number of people on site is controlled and managed, she said today.
Media sessions:
Today was the last COVID media session of 2022, now 22 months into the pandemic; Dr Henry was joined by Health Minister Dix and BC Immunization Program executive lead Dr Penny Ballem. The next livestreamed session is scheduled for Monday January 3, 2022.
===== LINKS:
Pregnancy and COVID (BC CDC)
Keeping your baby safe during the pandemic (BC CDC)
Newborn care (BC CDC)
COVID News Archive (Island Social Trends)