News

Vaccine & breastfeeding

April 12, 2021

Q: Do you recommend COVID vaccine routinely to all breastfeeding moms? A: For most people, getting a vaccine is the safest choice to protect them from COVID-19. The Canadian Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SOGC), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and public health experts in B.C. all agree that people who are pregnant and breastfeeding can get […]

Find out more about COVID-19 vaccine safety & efficacy

April 7, 2021

VIRTUAL MEDICAL STAFF FORUMS (FOR PHYSICIANS, MIDWIVES, NURSE PRACTITIONERS & DENTISTS) – APRIL 14 & 20 Find out more about COVID-19 vaccine safety & efficacy Join us for one of two 30-minute sessions on vaccine safety and efficacy. Wednesday Apr 14, from 1 to 1:30 p.m. Host: Dr. Matthew Kwok, Medical Lead, Quality Improvement, Richmond […]

Vaccines for those who are clinically extremely vulnerable

March 30, 2021

Q: Aside from general phases as listed on the B.C. government website, are there any other factors for vaccination that are being considered for eligibility (immunocompromised, etc)? A: People at higher risk from COVID-19 due to existing medical conditions, such as various forms of cancer, transplant recipients and severe respiratory conditions, will be able to […]

Ministry of Health announces new and revised Public Health orders

March 30, 2021

To address rising COVID-19 case counts, protect people and communities and help break the chain of COVID-19 transmission, the provincial health officer is amending the provincial public health orders effective midnight tonight, March 30, 2021. New and amended orders and guidelines are in effect through April 19, 2021, and include: For restaurants, bars and pubs, […]

Updated recommendations for AstraZeneca and COVIDSHIELD vaccines

March 30, 2021

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Provincial Health Officer, announced today that we are temporarily suspending the use of the AstraZeneca/COVISHIELD vaccine in people under the age of 55. This is a precautionary measure, as the vaccine may be associated with rare cases of blood clots, totalling less than 30 cases worldwide. More than 300,000 doses of the […]

Helping out with the vaccination campaign

March 23, 2021

Q: Please elaborate on the plan to involve health authority medical staff (physicians, pharmacists, etc.) as well as providers outside the health authority who are interested in supporting the vaccination campaign. A: The vaccines are complex. Not only do they have cold-chain requirements but also thawing & transportation requirements. They are much fussier than […]

BC Rural Health Conference May 29 & 30

March 19, 2021

The Rural Coordination Centre of BC invites you and your colleagues to the virtual BC Rural Health Conference (RHC) on May 29–30, 2021. This dynamic and unique Rural Medicine conference is designed for rural physicians, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals, residents, and medical students. The program features rurally-relevant plenaries and breakout sessions, plus options for small-group workshops (PICC […]

Q&A: Rationale for delayed second dose

March 15, 2021

Q: Please review the evidence that supports lengthening the second COVID-19 dose to four months. A: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) have recommended that the interval between first and second dose be lengthened to four months (see here for more information). This decision was in part, based on scientific and real world data, […]

International Women’s Day

March 8, 2021

In honour of International Women’s Day, meet just a few of the thousands of exceptional women medical staff at Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) — physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners and midwives — who are working every day to challenge the status quo and improve our health care system. This year, the VCH Physician Diversity, Equity and […]

COVID-19 immunization clinic opportunities for VCH staff and medical staff

March 2, 2021

As COVID-19 vaccines continue arriving each week and the campaign expands across our region for identified priority populations, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is working to build our capacity to deliver these immunizations in an effective and efficient manner. Thank you to everyone who has expressed their eagerness to support this very important step in protecting […]