One of the capital region’s mass COVID-19 immunization clinics will be located at a Langford arena, Mayor Stew Young confirmed Wednesday.
Young said health officials have secured the Eagle Ridge Community Centre’s dry floor arena at City Centre Park, 1089 Langford Parkway.
“It’s going to go ahead, which is good news,” he said in an interview. “Obviously, it kind of gives people hope that they might get a vaccination in their arm one day.
“It’s good that they’ve secured the location until August.”
Young had no information on how many people might be vaccinated at that site. “I don’t think they know how many vaccinations they’ll actually have,” he said. “It’s going to be a bit of a crap shoot, but at least we’ve got a vaccination centre that’s large enough to do the whole West Shore no problem, and then some.”
Young said he wasn’t aware of other possible sites in the capital region.
Sidney Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith said Emergency Management B.C. reached out recently on behalf of Island Health, requesting possible sites for a clinic. But the health authority has not confirmed a Sidney location, he said.
The City of Victoria referred questions to Island Health.
The health authority offered no details on specific sites, but said in a statement that it’s working to organize clinics across the region.
“The immunization clinics will be held in large centres, including school gymnasiums, arenas, convention halls and community centres,” the statement said.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed that immunizations have resumed with the arrival of more Pfizer vaccines.
As of Wednesday, 176,015 doses have been administered in B.C., including 26,030 second doses, she said in a joint statement with Health Minister Adrian Dix.
The province plans to immunize high-risk populations and seniors ages 80 and over through February and March, before moving on to the general population, which will be vaccinated from April to September.
lkines@timescolonist.com
