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Hundreds line up for hours outside pop-up vaccine clinics in Surrey

Fraser Health mum on two-day drop-in clinic in Newton that wasn’t originally announced
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People were lined up around the fields at a drop-in vaccine clinic at Newton Athletic Park on Tuesday (April 27, 2021), which is one of the high-transmission neighbourhoods that are being given vaccine priority. This clinic was one of at least three to open in the city on Tuesday. (Photo: Lauren Collins)

Hundreds have been rushing out to drop-in vaccine clinics in Surrey this week.

Partway through the day on Tuesday, Fraser Health announced three drop-in clinics in the health region, with two in Surrey (Whalley and Cloverdale) and one in Coquitlam.

However, a pop-up vaccine clinic at Newton Athletic Park, that was ongoing throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, wasn’t mentioned in Fraser Health’s announcement. The Now-Leader has requested more information from Fraser Health.

The Newton clinic ran again today (Wednesday, April 28). People reportedly waited in lines for hours, even overnight to get the vaccines and many were turned away once supply ran out.

The Whalley clinic, located at 10025 King George Blvd., ran from 12:30 to 7 p.m. It was for people aged 40 or older who live in high-transmission neighbourhoods.The Cloverdale clinic, located at the recreation centre at 6188 176th St., also ran from 12:30 tp 7 p.m. It was for people aged 30 and older who live in high-transmission neighbourhoods.

In an email from Fraser Health senior public affairs consultant Carrie Stefanson, she said the health authority looks at their clinics and number of appointments booked each day and “if we have surplus supply,” such as thousands of available doses, “then we consider doing a drop-in clinic.”

Meanhile, the province has announced more pop-up clinics administering AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 30 and above, who must register first at the provinces Get Vaccinated website. People can also confirm if they live in a high-transmission region by entering their postal code at the new high-transmission neighbourhood website here that identifies all the new clinics.

Targeted neighbourhoods include East Newton, West Newton, North Surrey, Whalley, Fleetwood and Panorama, as well as North Delta, South Langley Township, West Abbotsford and Port Coquitlam.

– With files from Tom Fletcher



lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com

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Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's national team, after my journalism career took me across B.C. since I was 19 years old.
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