Beginning Sept. 29, B.C. seniors with the highest risk of serious illness from Respiratory Syncytial Virus will be able to receive a vaccine at no-cost. The RSV vaccine will be available for adults and residents living in long-term care homes and assisted living facilities 75 and older, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis people aged 60 and older. Notifications started being Tuesday, with appointments expected to become available on Sept. 29. Seniors living in long-term care homes and assisted living facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine, the province said. In a release, the Ministry of Health says the RSV vaccine will be available year-round at pharmacies, public health centres, long-term care homes, assisted living facilities and nursing stations in First Nations communities. The province also says that a single dose of the RSV vaccine is needed, as it provides long-lasting protection, and it is also safe to get at the same time as other vaccines, including influenza and COVID-19. According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, RSV test positivity currently remains low. People who qualify for the free vaccine can register by phone at 1-833-838-2323, or online by visiting the provincial government’s website.
