Here are the 3 steps for getting the COVID-19 vaccine here locally on Salt Spring Island. The hours of operation at the ArtSpring clinic are Sunday to Thursday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM. Step 1: Register Register online, by phone at (833) 838-2323 or in person at any Service BC office. First, you register and get a confirmation number. You need that number to later book your vaccination appointment. Registering also helps health authorities request the right amount of vaccine doses for each community. Once your age group becomes eligible, you will receive an email, text or phone call advising that you can book an appointment. Step 2: Book an appointment You will be contacted to book a vaccine appointment when you are eligible based on your age and our Immunization Plan phases.

You will book your appointment online or by phone. You will select a location, date and time.

Step 3: Get the vaccine Visit your local vaccine clinic to get …

A new vaccine registration schedule will provide certainty for more than 1.3 million British Columbians aged 40 and older, as B.C.’s Get Vaccinated program moves forward. A new schedule for age cohorts to register ensures people know when it is their turn: Monday, April 12 – registration opens for people aged 55 and up Wednesday, April 14 – registration opens for people aged 50 and up Friday, April 16 – registration opens for people aged 45 and up Monday, April 19 – registration opens for people aged 40 and up The fastest and most effective way to register is online. Registering online takes approximately two minutes. People need their personal health number (found on their CareCard or on the back of their driver’s licence or BC Services Card), postal code, first and last name, date of birth and an email address that gets checked regularly or a phone number that can receive text messages to register. Registration is the first step. Once registered, peo…

All eligible adults in B.C. will soon be able to follow an easy, three-step process to register and book their vaccine appointments online, as the Province moves to Phase 3 of B.C.’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan ahead of schedule. “British Columbians faced the countless challenges of this past year with incredible courage,” said Premier John Horgan. “Today marks a major milestone in our fight against COVID-19, and we ask everyone to wait their turn and follow three steps to help put this pandemic behind us.” There are three easy steps to register to book your vaccine appointment: Register: First, register when it is your turn and get a confirmation code. Book: Book a vaccine appointment when you get an email, text or phone call telling you you are eligible to book, based on your age. Get vaccinated: Visit a vaccine clinic to get your vaccine dose. Starting at 8 a.m. (Pacific time), on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, people born in 1950 and earlier (71 and older), Indi…

As spring days bring beautiful weather and Easter weekend brings hope of new beginnings, we need to remind ourselves that COVID continues to be a real and present health risk in our community. The start of the COVID vaccination program has brought new hope for the end of the pandemic. However some troubling trends are developing in Island Health’s fight against COVID-19. All three variants of concern have now been identified in Island Health. The number of variant cases across Vancouver Island are increasing. Contact tracing has shown that the variant cases were brought to the Island Health region through non-essential travel to other areas of B.C. and beyond. Public health teams have also noted a significant jump in the number of close contacts for COVID cases. On Salt Spring, we have not had any major outbreaks since the start of the pandemic. However we have had, and continue to have, the ongoing presence of COVID in our community. The variants of concern are more transmi…

Island Health is urging people to avoid the high-risk activities that have pushed COVID-19 cases to an all-time high throughout our region. With the upcoming long weekend and important religious holidays that normally bring friends and family together, Island Health is calling on everyone to closely follow the Orders and guidelines put in place by the Provincial Health Officer. We acknowledge the global pandemic continues to be an extremely challenging experience for so many and people are understandably experiencing COVID fatigue. However, with daily case counts at current levels and the growing prevalence of variants of concern on Vancouver Island, we cannot afford to let our guard down and undo the progress we have collectively made. Island Health’s Public Health team has noted some concerning trends recently, including: A significant increase in the number of close contacts to COVID-19 cases. This includes people reporting non-essential travel, large social ga…

Effective Wednesday, April 7, 2021 all scheduled immunization appointments for Salt Spring Island will be held at the ArtSpring Centre (100 Jackson Avenue) on Salt Spring Island. People with appointments at the health unit on or after April 7the, 2021 will be informed of the shift to ArtSpring. Once fully operational, the clinic at ArtSpring will operate Sunday through Thursday, 8:30am – 4:30pm. Appointments are required and details will be confirmed with you when your appointment is booked. Please do not contact the ArtSpring Centre for information about registration or eligibility. This information can be found at islandhealth.ca/covid19vaccine

The Vancouver Island region has been experiencing a higher number of coronavirus cases in the past few weeks, and many of these cases have reported higher numbers of social contacts and events while infectious. Accordingly, we are now seeing the number of children with coronavirus on the rise. This past few weeks may have been quiet as schools have been heading into or returning from spring break. However, all signs indicate that there will be significant numbers of exposures at schools in the weeks to come. As families prepare for children to return to school, please consider: If your child has even mild symptoms, do not attend school, make an appointment to get your child and any other symptomatic family members tested, especially if you have travelled during spring break. Call 1-844-901-8442 (daily 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.) to book an appointment for a COVID test. Remember: Hand washing, physical distancing and mask wearing are important measures to continue to…

Despite appeals from the broader community, and our local Salt Spring RCMP detachment, a group of 30-40 Salt Springers gathered in Centennial Park today for 'World Wide Rally for Freedom' day. The demonstration occured on the same day as in other communities with organizers calling for the immediate end to any, and all, COVID-19 related restrictions. Participants also promoted an end to masks, physical distancing and government vaccine programs. Global organizers of the gatherings are known to be closely affiliated with the QAnon conspiracy movement whose members are also calling for an immediate re-opening of all businesses, schools, cafes and restaurants. The local gathering here on Salt Spring featured numerous community members who have been outspoken critics of masks, vaccines and personal freedom restrictions in local, online discussion boards. They oppose the restrictions that have been asked of all residents of Salt Spring Island and B.C., as well as most other pa…

More than 300,000 front-line workers, including first responders, grocery store employees, and teachers and child care workers, will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations over the coming weeks as the Province’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan moves forward ahead of schedule. “We know how challenging this pandemic has been on our front-line workers,” said Premier John Horgan. “Many of these people have come to work throughout this pandemic, continuing to teach and care for our children, stock the shelves of our local grocery store and keep our communities safe. By immunizing these front-line workers, we are making workplaces and communities throughout our province safer.” Beginning in April, people in priority groups identified by public health and the COVID-19 Workplace Task Group will start to receive their first dose of the AstraZeneca/SII COVISHIELD (AZ/SII) vaccine. These groups include: first responders (police, firefighters, emergency transport); K-12 educational…

Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer (PHO), and Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, have issued the following joint statement regarding updates on the COVID-19 response in British Columbia: Today, we are reporting 569 new cases, including three epi-linked cases, for a total of 86,219 cases in British Columbia. There are 4,912 active cases of COVID-19 in the province with 8,989 people under active public health monitoring as a result of identified exposure to known cases. A further 79,829 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 244 individuals are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, 68 of whom are in intensive care. The remaining people with COVID-19 are recovering at home in self-isolation. Today’s modelling shows us how the COVID-19 pandemic has progressed in the province over the past year. What we have seen very clearly is no one is immune to the virus or the impacts that come with it. The pandemic is still very much with us. …

Island Health is excited to share information about the 19 community clinics where more than 40,000 eligible residents will receive their first COVID-19 immunization over the next month. When planning community clinic locations, Island Health focused on key principles including: Ease of access - in more urban areas we strived to establish a travel time of approximately no more than 15 minutes; Accessible by individuals with mobility challenges, including but not limited to wheelchair and walker access; On or close to major transportation routes and bus routes; The availability of functional clinic space and space to support appropriate physical distancing. Island Health is also working closely with Indigenous partners to help support a culturally safe experience for Indigenous people in all clinics. Immunizations will also be offered at Friendship Centres, including in Port Hardy, Victoria and Port Alberni. Administrators with Salt Spring Island Health Ce…

Island Health authority has revealed the locations of more than a dozen upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinics in the region. Island Health says it will continue to update the list as changes are required. British Columbia will begin rolling out its COVID-19 mass vaccination program in full next week, and will allow seniors to begin booking their immunization appointments on March 8. Here is Island Health’s most up-to-date list of vaccine locations: Campbell River - Campbell River Community Centre (401 11 Ave) Comox - CFB Comox - Glacier Gardens Arena (1399 Military Row) Duncan - Cowichan Community Centre (2687 James St) Esquimalt - Archie Browning Sports Centre (1151 Esquimalt Rd) Langford - Eagle Ridge Arena (1089 Langford Pkwy) Nanaimo - Beban Park (2300 Bowen Rd) Nanaimo - Cedar Community Hall (2388 Cedar Rd) Port Alberni - Alberni Athletic Hall (3727 Roger St) Port Hardy - Port Hardy Health Unit (7070 Market St) Port McNeill - Port McNei…

More than 400,000 people in British Columbia will be immunized from March to early April as the Province moves into Phase 2 of the largest immunization rollout in B.C.’s history. “At every step of the way, we are putting the health and safety of British Columbians first,” said Premier John Horgan. “B.C. was one of the first provinces to lay out our vaccine plan, and now we’re moving to Phase 2 to reach even more of our seniors and Elders. We’re getting vaccine into arms as fast as we can given early supply delays from manufacturers, and we’re seeing it start to make a difference for people and their communities throughout our province.” Those in Phase 2 receiving their first vaccine dose in March and early April include: seniors and high-risk people residing in independent living and seniors’ supportive housing (including staff); home-care support clients and staff; Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) peoples born in or before 1956 (65 years and older); an…

British Columbians are a step closer to receiving their COVID-19 immunizations, with additional details and timelines released for the largest and most complex immunization plan to ever roll out in B.C. Premier John Horgan; Adrian Dix, Minister of Health; Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer; and Dr. Penny Ballem, executive lead for B.C.’s immunization efforts; announced details of the next phases in B.C.’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan. The plan will see approximately 7.4 million doses of vaccine administered to every British Columbian who is eligible to receive it between April and the end of September. “The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged us all in extremely difficult ways,” Premier Horgan said. “Together, we have faced this pandemic with strength, courage and compassion, and we are starting to feel optimistic that, one day, COVID-19 will be in our rear view. At every step, our plan puts the health and safety of our most vulnerable people at the centre, and when i…