B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, says free vaccines for influenza, COVID-19 and others are being made available as influenza circulates.
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B.C. is rolling out its fall vaccine program, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said in an update on Wednesday.
Henry said free vaccines will be available against influenza, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pneumococcal disease, noting that the province has already started to see influenza cases circulating.
Henry said some residents are at higher risk of serious illness from influenza or COVID-19 and should prioritize getting vaccinated. She said infants and children under five are at higher risk of serious illness from influenza, while for both COVID-19 and influenza, people 65 years old and older, pregnant people, those living in long-term care, Indigenous people and people with chronic conditions are in the higher-risk category.
Henry said people who work in health-care settings are strongly urged to get the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, adding that residents should also keep up with cleaning their hands regularly, covering sneezes and coughs, and staying home when sick as viral transmission increases.
Notifications to book appointments began for higher-risk populations on Oct. 5, with appointments starting Tuesday, Oct. 13. Henry said notifications will continue and expand to the general population through early November 2026.
According to the update, notifications to book influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations are being sent through the Get Vaccinated registration system. People who are not registered can register online or by calling 1-833-838-2323.
Henry said vaccines are available through health authority clinics, more than 1,400 participating pharmacies and some primary-care providers’ offices. She said B.C. has almost two million doses of the influenza vaccine and 1.5 million doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines.
The update also said seniors with the highest risk of serious illness from RSV can get the vaccine for free as part of a time-limited program. Eligible individuals include adults 75 and older, residents 75 and older living in long-term care homes and assisted-living facilities, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals 60 and older. The update said at this time, only one dose of the RSV vaccine is recommended for long-term protection.
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