In an attempt to fend off vaccine hesitancy, Richmond Community Coalition (RCC), a municipal political party, will hold a free COVID-19 vaccine information session for Richmond Chinese-speaking residents on April. 18.
“There is massive misinformation out there. The information session isn’t advocating or persuading people to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Our goal is to ensure that people will have a clear sense of the latest immunization plan,” said Richmondite and event organizer Jonathan Ho.
B.C. residents aged 55 and older are eligible to register to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and the AstraZeneca vaccines are already being administered through pharmacies to people age 55 to 65.
However, Richmondite Daniel Chan, 65, is still hesitant about whether he should receive the vaccine or not.
“There is no problem for me to get a flu shot each year, but I would rather wait and play safe this time,” said Chan.
Ho said there is some vaccine hesitancy in Richmond’s Chinese-speaking community with some seniors who live alone and have limited access to resources due to the language barrier.
“I would never judge people who are afraid of vaccinations. I understand that the less you know, the more fear you have. Therefore, we are partnering with a medical expert this time to share more information with them and hopefully, his skills and experiences could address their concerns and getting them protected against COVID-19,” said Ho.
The session will focus on B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization plan, what kinds of vaccines are available in Canada and what people need to know before and after receiving the vaccine.
The free session will also feature family doctor Ezra Kwok, who is an adjunct professor at the UBC Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
For more information about the Zoom meeting, contact YourRCCA@gmail.com.
VCH has also hosted some information sessions about B.C.’s COVID-19 immunization Plan. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/39gCVU7.
