March 22 2021
Phase Two of the BC Covid-19 Vaccination Plan includes vaccination of all health care professionals providing direct patient care in acute and community health care settings (including home care) according to the guidelines for prioritizing specific professions established by the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health guidance is intended as advice to regional health authorities, and regional health authorities remain responsible for determining timing of offering the opportunity for vaccination to eligible health professions dependent upon geography, vaccine supply and demand. As per the College’s commitment to assist the health authorities in communicating with registrants, the College has in previous email blasts distributed to registrants information about accessing the COVID-19 vaccine as it became available from the Vancouver Island Health Authority, the Fraser Health Authority and the Interior Health Authority.
VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY VACCINATION INFORMATION
The College is pleased to advise that it has now received information from the Vancouver Health Authority that it has enough vaccine supply and capacity in its clinics to expand eligibility to include psychologists providing direct patient care in acute and community health care settings who have not yet received their first dose of vaccine. Details about eligibility and availability are included in a letter to registrants from the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority here: https://collegeofpsychologists.bc.ca/email/210322-Memo-Vaccine-eligibility-for-psychologists[3].pdf
NORTHERN HEALTH AUTHORITY VACCINATION INFORMATION
The College is currently assisting the Northern Health Authority in disseminating information about access to the COVID-19 vaccine for registered psychologists residing in the Northern Health region and who are providing direct patient care in acute and community health care settings. The Northern Health Authority has limited vaccines and a sparsely populated and vast geographic area and is requiring careful planning and allocation community by community in order to comply with cold chain requirements. At the request of Northern Health, the College has provided non-identifying data regarding the number of registrants residing in the Northern Health region based upon the registrant information available in the College register.
On Monday the College also sent an email to registrants identified as residing in the Northern Health region with the directions provided by Northern Health on how eligible psychologists can register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Registrants who reside in the Northern Health region who did not receive an email with this information are encouraged to first confirm the College email did not go to their spam/junkmail folder. Registrants residing in the Northern Health region who did not receive an email from the College are encouraged to contact the College at: feedback@collegeofpsychologists.bc.ca
Registrants who are uncertain whether they reside in the Northern Health region are encouraged to confirm their residency by consulting the Northern Health webpage about the communities within the Northern Health Authority region, including a detailed map, available here: https://www.northernhealth.ca/our-communities