School District 23 going forward with school-based vaccine clinics

Photo: CTV News

Despite anti-vaccine incidents in Salmon Arm schools last week, Central Okanagan School District Superintendent Kevin Kaardal says planned clinics at Kelowna area schools will go ahead.

"They are continuing as scheduled. We are prepared if anything happens around protests. Security is in place, our RCMP School Resource Officers are on alert and we have a single controlled entrance at all schools," Kaardal tells Castanet.

School-based vaccine clinics will run at different locations this week, however out of an abundance of caution, Castanet will not publish the locations.

Kaardal says he's hopeful there will be no issues but says after last week they're not taking any chances.

"We are prepared."

Aside from the vaccine clinics in Salmon Arm, there has already been a clinic held in the Okanagan. The clinic in Lake Country last Thursday went off without incident at George Elliot Secondary School.

The Minister of Education reached out to media on the weekend to share her thoughts on the anti-vaccine clinics in Salmon Arm that forced lockdowns.

"It is completely unacceptable for people to protest outside of schools, to speak with other people’s children and to undermine the decisions they and their families have made regarding the vaccine," Jennifer Whiteside said in a statement.

The main doors of many public schools in Salmon Arm remained locked Tuesday, but the school district says it has lifted "hold and secure" measures in place since the disturbing protests last week.