Posted: Apr 29, 2021 6:21 PM PT | Last Updated: April 30
Hundreds of people waited to get COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations made available for people 18 years or older during a pop-up clinic at the Newton Athletic Park in Surrey, B.C. on Tuesday. Many were disappointed when supplies ran out. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
Pop-up vaccine clinics this week in Fraser Health created confusion, frustration and resulted in an inequitable vaccine rollout at a crucial time in the COVID-19 pandemic, some doctors in the region say.
Within the span of 48 hours, thousands of people were vaccinated, while many were disappointed and upset.
The pop-up clinics are cancelled, according to Dr. Victoria Lee, the president of Fraser Health, who said Thursday the health authority learned from the experience.
Eager vaccine-seekers began lining up overnight at a Surrey, B.C., drop-in clinic promising shots to any adult living in one of the region s transmission hotspots.
Tempers flare at Surrey vaccine pop-up clinic, as people wait for hours only to be turned away
People who waited in line for hours at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Surrey, B.C., on Wednesday were angry and frustrated to learn they would not receive a shot.
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Posted: Apr 28, 2021 9:12 PM PT | Last Updated: April 29
A man grabs a security guard after being told he would not receive a COVID-19 vaccine after waiting in line for hours during a pop-up clinic at Newton Athletic Park in Surrey on Wednesday. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
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A pop-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic that appeared in Coquitlam on Tuesday gave doses of AstraZeneca to young people who did not live in high-transmission neighbourhoods, says health minister Adrian Dix.
“The intention of these clinics was to focus on the areas where we are seeing high transmission of COVID-19,” he said. “Some people outside those areas did get immunized, in the Coquitlam pop-up.”
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Try refreshing your browser, or COVID-19: Ineligible people got AstraZeneca shots at Fraser Health pop-up site, says health minister Back to video
At around noon on Tuesday, Fraser Health announced it would immediately open two pop-up vaccination sites at the Poirier Forum in Coquitlam and Cloverdale Recreation Centre for people aged 30 and over who lived in one of 10 high-transmission neighbourhoods in the health region.
Article content Hundreds of people wait in line for COVID-19 vaccines at a Fraser Health pop-up clinic at the Newton Athletic Park in Surrey on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG
More than 6,000 people were immunized at the clinics over two days, which Fraser Health CEO Dr. Victoria Lee said is a great indication that people are eager to get vaccinated. Ten of the 13 highest transmission neighbourhoods in B.C. are in the Fraser Health region. These communities, which have a high proportion of front-line workers as well as multi-generational homes, have been prioritized for vaccination with the AstraZeneca vaccine.