COVID-19 vaccine could be available for some Interior residents as early as January

A COVID-19 vaccine could be ready for limited distribution within Interior Health as early as January. That is according to Interior Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Albert de Villiers.

De Villiers says he anticipates the vaccine would be rolled out throughout the year, starting in January, with the most at-risk populations receiving it first.

“Logically, we would look at people in long-term care, people working with people in long-term care because that’s where we’re seeing the most complications and the most deaths,” he said. “Trying to protect the most vulnerable first and then taking it on from there. Also [protecting] the healthcare workers, obviously.”

The vaccine is expected to be available to the general population by this time next year. De Villiers says the goal is not to have zero COVID-19 cases, but to protect the people who are less likely to recover.

He adds people will still have to do their part to protect themselves and others as the vaccine is rolled out.

“It’s not going to be as soon as we get the vaccine we can go back to having big parties and doing everything we used to do again. We’ll still have to be careful. Probably through next spring, next summer we’ll still have to be careful. We will be able to lift some restrictions as we get used to the new normal.”