Peachland elder frustrated by pace of vaccinations

Photo: Interior Health

'Betty' who resides at Sunnybank long-term carein Oliver receiving the first vaccine.

An 82-year old Peachland woman fears for our country's future if the pace of vaccinations doesn't accelerate soon.

Margaret Sebastian says she is frustrated by what she describes as a, "slow and haphazard" pace for the vaccinations in B.C. and the rest of the country.

Sebastian says she and her 84-year-old husband still live in their own home and she understands that seniors living in care homes should have priority along with healthcare providers.

"But then I hear that prisoners are being bumped up the list, well seniors didn't ask to be put in care homes any more than prisoners asked to be put in prison. The logic and the organization is very irritating and upsetting."

Due to shortages of the vaccine, Sebastian feels that despite being elderly, she and her husband may not get the vaccine until well into next year.

"Once the province finishes handing out the small number doses they have, including to areas where there have been very few cases or few deaths, it will probably be fall before we are entitled to a vaccine. By then we are likely to be dead of normal causes or the pandemic will be over."

Sebastian says in her opinion teachers should be a high priority to receive the vaccine because she feels strongly that students need an education, "or our country will suffer. We don't want  a generation of ignorant and anti-social young people."

There was some good news on Friday as Interior Health announced they have begun vaccinating long-term care home residents at Sunnybank in Oliver.

Sebastian says she has no idea how she will even be notified when her turn comes.

"None, I've talked to my pharmacist and my doctor and they have been told nothing."

Vaccine Queue Calculator for Canada launched Thursday and is a good place to start. The online tool is designed to give Canadians some idea of how long they’re likely to wait for the vaccine.

B.C. revealed more details on the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine on Monday, which will see 70,000 residents and staff at long-term care facilities receive the shot by the end of January.

After the top-priority groups receive their vaccines in January, health officials plan to administer vaccines to elderly British Columbians above the age of 80.

Once vaccinated, the province will administer the doses in descending five-year age brackets.

The province expects to have 792,000 doses delivered by the end of March.

Of those, 542,000 will come from Pfizer and 250,000 from Moderna.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said she is confident the province will be able to scale up and accelerate its vaccine rollout to hit its targets.