We wanted to share an update sent to CVS by Community Living BC (CLBC) earlier today, April 9th, 2021. Please read this message from John Stinson, VP Operations at CLBC:

On March 26th, 2021, CLBC shared with you the good news that people 18 years and older who are eligible for Community Living BC (CLBC) services are being prioritized to receive the COVID-19 vaccination in April as part of a group called “clinically extremely vulnerable.” You can read that message here.

Everyone who is 18 years old and eligible for CLBC services when they turn 19, or 19 years old and eligible to receive CLBC services, has been sent a letter with instructions on booking a vaccination appointment. We are very pleased to report that most of these letters were mailed last week and have begun arriving this week.  The remaining letters should arrive by next week.

As you know, rolling out the COVID-19 vaccinations to British Columbians is the most complex public health initiative in B.C.’s history and the coordination process is very dynamic and constantly evolving.  To this end, the B.C. government also launched its new online provincial vaccination registration system and provincial call centre this week and this has created additional ways for all British Columbians to access a vaccine.

Based on this new development, here are the options for you to make your vaccination booking:

1. If your letter has arrived:

• Your letter will include information about how to make an appointment.

2. If your letter has not yet arrived, you can take the initial step to register online:

• Anyone can register for a vaccine by accessing the new provincial online system and once someone’s letter is in the system, vaccination booking teams can confirm that you qualify and contact you to book your vaccine appointment.
• You can register online here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/getvaccinated.html

3. If your letter has not arrived by April 15th, or if you have circumstances you need to discuss:

• Call the Provincial Call Centre at 1-833-838-2323
• This phone line is open seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

Everyone is anxious to receive their vaccinations as soon as possible and CLBC has received questions about why some have received letters before others, or why there are differences in the immunization roll out in different parts of the province.  As mentioned above, the COVID-19 vaccination roll out is the largest and most complicated immunization program in our history.  Every health authority is delivering vaccines as quickly as possible based on available vaccine supplies and the unique needs in their area. The Provincial Health Officer is managing the constant flow of new information to ensure that those most at risk, such as our elders and adults living with disability, get access to vaccines as quickly as possible.

As Dr. Henry has said, the last few kilometres of a marathon are the toughest, so thank you for your patience. In a matter of weeks those who need the vaccine the most – including CLBC eligible individuals – will have received their first vaccination.

If you have questions for CLBC you can call 604‐733‐2655 or toll free at 1‐866‐780‐2655. People can also send questions to [email protected]. Please note, these are CLBC information numbers and you cannot book vaccination appointments when you call CLBC.

It has been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began. A year ago, we were all in a state of shock and uneasy about what the future would hold for us. While there have been many struggles over the past year, we are fortunate that at CVS that we have a strong team that supports the individuals we serve, our staff, families and our overall community. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your ongoing commitment and your support over the past year. I also want to thank everyone for following the rules to keep us all safe – it has not been easy. 

CVS has moved through this pandemic with relatively low rates of exposure. That being said, in recent months, we have seen some outbreaks at CVS and we recognize this has caused disruptions to service for some of the individuals we serve and their families. We appreciate your support and patience as we navigated through this. Thank you for cooperating and helping us continue providing support for the individuals we serve while keeping everyone safe. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, CVS has taken a proactive approach to ensuring we have an ample stock of personal protective equipment (PPE). We have procured all the necessary supplies that are needed to keep our individuals, staff and families safe. At the same time, we have kept up-to-date on the latest guidance on PPE as more is known about COVID-19. Most recently, we have upgraded our mask protocol to require all individuals who are working at CVS to wear a N95 or KN95. In the latest research, it has been shown that these masks – compared to non-medical or fabric masks – are the most effective in protecting individuals against COVID-19. This new protocol came into effect on Thursday, April 8th and will be enforced across all CVS facilities. We continue to monitor the research and will continue to update our safety protocols as necessary in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 across our community. Please reach out to us if you need to update your PPE.

Most importantly, despite daily rising numbers, I feel that there is hope on the horizon. As BC continues to roll out its vaccination plan across the province, many staff and the individuals we serve have already received their first dose of vaccine which is great news for us all as hopefully this means that more individuals in our community will be protected from catching COVID-19. If you have not received the vaccine please have a look at our website for information on how to get it.

One of the hardest elements of this pandemic has been that we have had to adapt our mission from focusing on inclusion – where the individuals we serve are investing much of their time out in the community – to one of segregation in an effort to protect our individuals, staff and families. I look forward to the day when we can all meet in person and feel free to give people a hug or shake hands and celebrate better times. 

Regardless of the challenges the past few months, I am hopeful that things are taking a turn in the right direction. I am also very proud of everyone at CVS for coming together as a community to do all the right things. 

Sincerely yours,

Kevin Lusignan

On March 23rd, 2021, the B.C. Ministry of Health announcement clarification on its vaccination rollout for persons identified as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV). B.C. residents 16+ years who are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable will be able to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in the coming weeks. Inclusion BC provided us with this update and we are happy to cascade it to our community. 

To read the full brief visit the BC Government News.

Inclusion BC is pleased to learn of the further clarity provided by the Provincial Health Office in regards to the prioritization of COVID-19 vaccinations for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Thank you to the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship for the advocacy partnership in ensuring that persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities were clearly considered in the B.C. COVID-19 vaccination priority plans. 

We would also like to thank the Provincial Health Office for both hearing our concerns and for bringing further clarity to the vaccine priorities for all B.C. residents.

CVS echoes the thoughts from Inclusion BC and are excited for many of the individuals we serve to be in a position to be vaccinated in the coming weeks.

Here are some general questions you may have about this announcement and how it applies to you or your loved ones –

How will I know if I\’m identified as clinically extremely vulnerable? 

People aged 16 to 74 years old who are eligible will receive a letter in the mail with information on how to book their COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

Those who receive the letter can book a vaccine appointment for themselves or have a family member or friend call for them.

What are the eligibility requirements for persons with significant developmental disabilities?

People supported by the following programs are eligible:

• Community Supports for Independent Living (CSIL) 
• Community Living British Columbia (CLBC) 
• Nursing Support Services program for youth aged 16 to 19 

To read the full list of eligibility requirements visit the BC Government News.

What are my next steps? 

1. Wait for your letter 
2. Call to book your COVID-19 vaccination appointment following the instructions in your letter
3. Bring the letter to the appointment and receive a COVID-19 vaccine

What if I haven’t received my letter? 

If you have not received your letter by April 15, 2021 contact the provincial call centre, OR 

Visit the provincial online registration and booking system “Get Vaccinated” *scheduled to launch on April 6, 2021 

When can I book my COVID-19 vaccination appointment?

The clinically extremely vulnerable based booking process will run parallel to the ongoing age-based booking schedule. The schedule is being accelerated, starting with those born in 1945 able to book starting Wednesday, March 24.

The revised age-based health authority eligibility call-in schedule is as follows: 

• age 76 (born in 1945) – Wednesday, March 24 at noon 
• age 75 (born in 1946) – Thursday, March 25 at noon 
• age 74 (born in 1947) – Friday, March 26 at noon 
• age 74+, and CEV population with invitation letter to book – Monday, March 29 noon

We will continue to cascade information as we receive it.

Inclusion BC released further information about the current rollout of Phase 2 of BC\’s Immunization plan.

As noted by Inclusion BC, Phase 2 of BC’s COVID-19 Immunization Plan has begun. Over the next few weeks, regional Health Authorities will be inviting seniors 80+ years, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) peoples 65+ years and Indigenous Elders, to call their toll-free phone-lines and schedule an appointment to receive a free COVID-19 vaccination.

Inclusion BC continues to advocate for all people with an intellectual disability, who have not already received their vaccination, to be prioritized at the beginning of Phase 3. Further clarity on Phase 3 prioritization for persons with an intellectual disability are expected in the coming days.

Please visit your regional Health Authority vaccine clinic location website (found below) to read further details on age-related COVID-19 vaccine eligibility criteria. Fraser Health is offering both phone-call and online bookings; all other Health Authorities are offering phone-call bookings only.

All Health Authorities request persons booking an appointment only do so when their age-based eligibility date begins. Persons who missed their age-based eligibility dates can book a vaccination appointment any time after their eligibility begins.

Family members or caregivers can call and book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment on behalf of persons needing support.

Regional Health Authority Vaccine Clinic Locations
Websites for regional Health Authority vaccine clinic locations are now online. Bookings for persons eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination during Phase 2 began on March 8, 2021; with vaccination appointments set to begin on March 15, 2021.

• Northern Health
• Interior
• Fraser Health
• Vancouver Coastal
• Island Health

Booking COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments
When calling to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment, regional Health Authorities will ask for:

• First and last name
• Date of birth
• Postal code
• Personal Health Number (PHN) found on the back of a BC driver\’s license, BC Services Card, or BC Care Card. *PHN is not required but will save you time when booking an appointment
• Contact information (email address or phone for a text message)

You will never be asked for your Social Insurance Number, driver\’s license number, or banking and credit card details.

As CVS receives more details about the COVID-19 vaccination program related to the individuals we serve, we will update everyone through our website.