Industry workers at big project sites across northern B.C. will soon receive a COVID-19 vaccination ‘in the next few days.’
That’s from Northern Health officials in a statement this afternoon (March 17) as 15,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Covishield vaccine, produced out of the Serum Institute of India (SII), are en route to the region to mitigate major worksites considered high-risk for potential spread.
This includes workers at the following locations:
- LNG Canada (Kitimat)
- Coastal GasLink
- Trans Mountain Pipeline
- Site C (BC Hydro)
- Rio Tinto Alcan (Kitimat)
However, the announcement does not include the Brucejack Gold Mine north of Stewart, where Northern Health’s lone COVID-19 outbreak is still in effect.
According to the most recent update (March 8), its main camp has detected 51 infections since Feb. 10, which has included one virus-linked death.
Northern Health says more industrial settings will be added to the above list in the weeks ahead.
The decision comes in conjunction with Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry as more vaccine supply makes its way to B.C. to allow ‘complementary’ programs focusing on community-outbreak response.
It also coincides with the current stage of the COVID-19 Immunization Plan.
“This, along with the Phase 2 - seniors 80 years of age and older, and Indigenous people 65 and older - will provide more protection for rural, remote and First Nations communities ahead of the start of Phase 3 in April,” reads a release from the authority.
Phase Two immunizations are underway in northern communities as of Tuesday (March 16).
One is set up at the Prince George Conference and Civic Centre, formally open for those eligible to book an appointment.
“Vaccination of workers in high risk industrial settings have been one of the key parts of B.C.’s vaccination strategy, and was planned to start as additional vaccines were approved and become available,” Northern Health explains.
“This will not impact the completion of Phase 2 immunizations, and the move to Phase 3 and 4 immunizations across the North.”
Health officials within the region are set to oversee the delivery of the AstraZeneca-Covishield doses to clinic sites set up at all of the above industrial projects.
This was the third vaccine approved by Health Canada on Feb. 26 with roughly two million doses expected to arrive throughout the first quarter.
B.C. announced on Monday (March 15) that AstraZeneca-Covishield would be allocated for workers at large industrial camps, as well as those working at food processing plants and certain agricultural businesses.
As of this publication, Northern Health has recorded 5,307 COVID-19 infections since March 14, 2020, including 111 deaths linked to the virus.
There are currently 304 active cases, 13 people in critical care among 27 total hospitalizations, and 4,886 recoveries.
- with files from Jess Fedigan, PrinceGeorgeMatters, Tyler Orton, Business In Vancouver, and The Canadian Press
