Vancouver Coastal Health is offering targeted COVID-19 vaccinations to people 30 years of age and older in what it's calling "high-transmission neighbourhoods".

They are all on the East Side of Vancouver: Cedar Cottage, Grandview-Woodland, Hastings-Sunrise, Kensington, Killarney, Renfrew-Collingwood, Sunset, and Victoria Fraserview. 

Anyone who lives in these areas is being encouraged to register so that they can receive a link to book their appointment.

In addition, Vancouver Coastal Health will open a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Killarney Community Centre (6260 Killarney Street) in southeast Vancouver from Saturday (May 8) to next Friday (May 14), and then from May 17 to 21 and May 25 to 28.

These vaccinations will be offered from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment only. 

Hospitality workers who are 18 years of age and older in the Vancouver Coastal health region can book appointments at provincial clinics for frontline workers. Vancouver Coastal includes Richmond, Vancouver, the North Shore, Sunshine Coast, and Sea to Sky corridor.

Meanwhile, Fraser Health is allowing grocery workers to get immunized if they're 18 years or older. They have to provide ID and proof of empolyment, which could include a pay stub or work ID.

is also offering a COVID-19 vaccine to people 30 years and older in nine additional high-transmission neighbourhoods. They are: Surrey Guildford, Surrey Cloverdale, Abbotsford Central, Abbotsford East, Abbotsford Rural, Langley Willoughby, Burnaby Southeast, Burnaby Southwest, and Mission.

That's in addition to the 10 existing high-transmission neighbourhoods where people 30 and over can be immunized. They are Surrey West Newton, Surrey East Newton, Surrey Whalley, Surrey Panorama, North Surrey, Surrey Fleetwood, North Delta, Port Coquitlam, South Langley township, and West Abbotsford.

The extension of vaccinations to high-transmission neighbourhoods came on the same day that the Vancouver Sun reported that B.C. public health authorities have been withholding data from the public.

The paper obtained leaked internal reports that each ran over 45 pages, which was four times longer than those published by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. The withheld information concerned the extent of COVID-19 outbreaks in neighbourhoods, which is being made available in Toronto, as well as details about variants.

First immunization-related blood clot in B.C.

On Thursday (May 6), B.C. reported 694 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the provincial total to 133,619 cases. Of those, 6,802 are classified as active.

The number of hospitalizations has fallen to 457, down 24 from the previous day. There were 154 in intensive care, down seven from the previous day.

One more person has died from COVID-19, which means 1,595 have now passed away in B.C. as a result of contracting the virus.

In a joint statement, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix said that the B.C. immunization committee is looking at how to incorporate youths 12 to 17 in the vaccination program now that this has ben approved by Health Canada.

In addition, Henry and Dix revealed that B.C. had its first "probably case of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia following an AstraZenica COVID-19 vaccination".

"This is a rare but serious condition," they said. “There is a test and treatment, but of course recognizing symptoms and getting treatment early on is very important. If you have had a vaccine—any vaccine—in the last four to 28 days and are feeling unwell, call 811 or contact your health-care provider."