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Peachland pop-up vaccine clinic was cancelled last minute Thursday

IH no show at vaccine clinic

UPDATE: 4:20 p.m.

After a number of volunteers were left with no vaccines to give at a Peachland pop-up vaccine clinic Thursday morning, Interior Health has blamed the mix-up on a "gap" in communication.

The Peachland Wellness Centre had organized its second vaccination clinic at the Peachland Community Centre Thursday morning, but when their volunteers showed up, no Interior Health staff came with vaccines.

Christina MacMaster, executive coordinator of the Peachland Wellness Centre, told Castanet that IH told her the clinic had been "cancelled," and there was some type of "glitch" in communicating that.

Thursday afternoon, IH told Castanet that no Peachland residents who were looking for a vaccine were left hanging.

"No immunization appointments were booked or cancelled in Peachland today," an unidentified IH spokesperson said in an email, more than six hours after Castanet requested information on the matter.

"Earlier in our planning, we had held this date for a potential clinic. However, in our scheduling we did not move forward with this date. Unfortunately, there was a gap in our communication with the Community Centre and for that reason volunteers were unaware of the change in plans, and for that we apologize."

IH said they are still planning on holding a second vaccination clinic in Peachland in the future, but no date has been set yet. Eligible Peachland residents are still able to book vaccine appointments in West Kelowna for the time being.

The first Peachland pop-up clinic was held on April 8, and about 400 residents were vaccinated.


ORIGINAL: noon

A pop-up vaccination clinic in Peachland was cancelled at the last minute Thursday morning, when Interior Health never showed up with the vaccines.

The Peachland Wellness Centre had organized two pop-up clinics in the community with Interior Health. The first saw about 400 residents vaccinated on April 8 at the Peachland Community Centre, but when volunteers arrived again Thursday morning, a key component of the vaccination clinic was missing.

“We were there getting ready for the clinic and nobody from IH was there so we sent them a message and they said, 'Oh sorry, it's cancelled.'” said Christina MacMaster, executive coordinator of the Peachland Wellness Centre.

“They have offered their sincerest apologies, it was a glitch in the communication and it didn't get to us as quick as it was supposed to.”

Castanet has reached out to Interior Health for details on why the clinic was cancelled, but IH has yet to provide a response.

The clinic was meant to serve Peachland residents who were eligible to receive vaccinations based on their age. Everyone who received a vaccination at the April 8 clinic had registered with the province online or by phone.

The pop-up clinics have been organized by Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin, the Peachland Wellness Centre and Interior Health. MacMaster says IH has assured her they will organize another future date to make up for Thursday's cancellation.

“I do not know what happened, whether it was lack of vaccine, whether it was lack of ability to register,” MacMaster said.

“I only know that I have had people calling me saying 'I can't get registered,' and I'm telling them to keep trying, because I thought today was going to be happening.”



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