Proof of Vaccination (BC Vaccine Card)
All British Columbians born in 2009 or earlier (12+) are required to show proof of vaccination in order to access some services, businesses, and events in British Columbia. There are no medical exemptions for the requirement to have proof of vaccination in order to access some services, businesses, and events. Please view the below letter from BC Family Doctors.
| Medical Exemption Letter for Proof of Vaccination |
In Person Appt Versus Virtual Appts
As you will be aware, British Columbia is beginning a phased plan to slowly open up again, with businesses and services working in new ways compared to how they worked before the arrival of COVID. This is only possible because we have all followed the instructions of Dr. Bonnie Henry, in particular physical distancing, hand washing and staying at home as much as possible.
It is very important that we go through these next steps cautiously and safely, so that the risk of overwhelming healthcare and the risk of you catching COVID do not both increase dramatically.
Over the coming weeks and months, we will start provision of a slowly increasing amount of in-person healthcare in our offices, and provide some of the routine healthcare that could be safely suspended at the beginning of this pandemic, such as screening, through a stepwise plan. This plan will only progress as long as the risk of COVID to all of us remains low.
The reasons we will not see everyone in-person are as follows:
We want to reassure you that safe care will continue to occur, and that you will be seen in-person if it is clinically necessary. This does not mean that everyone can be seen back in the office, but over time we anticipate seeing more of you in the office as long as COVID cases do not rise.
Please remember our office is open and providing care, though please do not turn up in-person unless it is pre-arranged. We can be contacted by phone in the usual way.
Thank you,
The Riverside Family Medicine Team
As you will be aware, British Columbia is beginning a phased plan to slowly open up again, with businesses and services working in new ways compared to how they worked before the arrival of COVID. This is only possible because we have all followed the instructions of Dr. Bonnie Henry, in particular physical distancing, hand washing and staying at home as much as possible.
It is very important that we go through these next steps cautiously and safely, so that the risk of overwhelming healthcare and the risk of you catching COVID do not both increase dramatically.
Over the coming weeks and months, we will start provision of a slowly increasing amount of in-person healthcare in our offices, and provide some of the routine healthcare that could be safely suspended at the beginning of this pandemic, such as screening, through a stepwise plan. This plan will only progress as long as the risk of COVID to all of us remains low.
The reasons we will not see everyone in-person are as follows:
- We have to continue to reduce COVID risk in our offices through physical distancing, which will reduce the amount of people we can have in our office at any one time.
- The risk of COVID has not gone away—consequently, the regional Health Authorities require us to wear PPE (masks and eye protection) during all in-person encounters. PPE remains in short supply worldwide—therefore we have to be economical with its usage.
- We have to clean our exam rooms frequently and thoroughly to ensure you are not at risk of catching COVID from your visit- this will reduce the number of people we can see in our office each day.
- We know that virtual care is safe and effective in a number of conditions and welcomed by a number of our patients as more convenient.
We want to reassure you that safe care will continue to occur, and that you will be seen in-person if it is clinically necessary. This does not mean that everyone can be seen back in the office, but over time we anticipate seeing more of you in the office as long as COVID cases do not rise.
Please remember our office is open and providing care, though please do not turn up in-person unless it is pre-arranged. We can be contacted by phone in the usual way.
Thank you,
The Riverside Family Medicine Team