Skip to content

Computer error causes confusion at South Okanagan vaccination clinic

Some were turned away from their scheduled vaccination appointments
24630943_web1_210331-PWN-IHCompError-vax_1
An Interior Health nurse administers Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines to seniors and care aids in Kelowna on Tuesday, March 16. (Phil McLachlan/Kelowna Capital News)

A handful of Oliver residents were bewildered this week after being turned away from their scheduled vaccination appointments at the Oliver Legion.

After arriving early and waiting for their shots of the vaccine, some people were turned away from the clinic with little explanation, according to social media reports. The confusion led some to speculate whether Interior Health was experiencing a vaccine shortage.

Interior Health confirmed via email that people were turned away from the Oliver clinic due to a “computer error” that caused the clinic to overbook patients.

Clinics can only accommodate a specific number of vaccination appointments per day.

The error has since been fixed and people who weren’t able to get their scheduled vaccine can re-book their appointments.

“There is not a vaccine shortage. A computer error created a discrepancy between the number of appointments booked and the vaccine allotment for the day,” Interior Health’s media relations team said in an email.

“With the specific protocols for how to use the vaccine and to avoid wastage, the vaccine clinics have a specific number of appointments they can accommodate each day. This error has been rectified and anyone who wasn’t able to get their vaccine that day can re-book.”

Over 100 people are being vaccinated each day in Oliver, with the clinic open four days a week.

READ MORE: Penticton vaccinating 240 per day

READ MORE: Penticton postal worker tests positive for COVID-19



jesse.day@pentictonwesternnews.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter



Jesse Day

About the Author: Jesse Day

Read more