Call centres in British Columbia received a million calls in the first hour after they opened to receive COVID-19 vaccine appointments for some of the province’s oldest residents, according to the doctor in charge of the province’s rollout plan.
Dr. Penny Ballem, who is also chair of Vancouver Coastal Health, spoke on CBC’s The Early Edition just after 8 a.m. Monday morning and said while call agents were hit with a “massive onslaught” the minute the lines opened, it was not unexpected and should not worry eligible residents who have not yet secured an appointment.
“Everyone’s going to get their vaccine,” said Ballem, adding it’s a big job, but the province is prepared.
The call centres opened at 7 a.m. at the Fraser, Island, Interior, Northern and Vancouver Coastal health authorities to allow appointments for people 90 years and older and Indigenous people who are 65 and older or identify as elders.
In less than three hours after they opened, 1.7 million calls came in.
Plenty of spots remain
Health Minister Adrian Dix says there are about 47,000 people in the province who are 90 and up and 35,000 who are Indigenous people over 65, so he urged anyone who is not calling on behalf of someone in those categories to hang up the phone.
Dix says health authorities are booking thousands of appointments and plenty of time slots remain.
There are still five days left to book for people in those age groups, so if callers don’t get through today, he says there is still time.
As of the 2016 Census, British Columbia had 42,040 people over the age of 90. <br><br>With 1.4 million calls for a vaccine appointment so far, that means there’s been 33 calls for each eligible person.
—@j_mcelroy
Dix says the phone lines are the focus right now because of the age of those who are eligible, but Fraser Health has online booking and a broader web-based system will become a larger component of booking as younger age categories get their turn.
Dix says the “enormous” response on Monday reflects the significant support for vaccination in the province.
Who is eligible now
Seniors are being asked to phone during the following weeks, based on their age:
- For the week of March 8: seniors born in 1931 or earlier (aged 90 and above) or Indigenous seniors born in 1956 or earlier (aged 65 and above).
- For the week of March 15: seniors born in 1936 or earlier (aged 85 and above).
- For the week of March 22: seniors born in 1941 or earlier (aged 80 and above).
Once someone becomes eligible, they are able to book at any time — meaning no one will miss their window for booking an appointment.
The first appointments will be available on March 15.