Pop-up clinic in Regina draws travellers seeking third doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Dan Kohl had long been protected from COVID-19, lining up to get his vaccine the instant he became eligible. He was just as eager to get his second dose.

But for a third time, Kohl was found at a vaccine clinic, visiting a pop-up at the Mâmawêyatitân Centre in Regina.

Kohl had received the AstraZeneca vaccine for his first dose, followed up by a shot of Pfizer. His intent was to get protected from the virus as soon as possible. But now, itching for a getaway, he was getting another dose of Pfizer on Thursday morning.

“I just want to be in a position to travel. I do have some plans in the new year,” Kohl said.

“I went for what I was eligible for. I have no issue with getting a third dose. Things change … I suspect that at some point, everyone’s going to need a booster anyway.”

Saskatchewan is now offering third doses of COVID-19 vaccines to allow travellers to meet vaccine requirements in other countries that may not recognize the AstraZeneca vaccine or the mixing of products across manufacturers.

While Kohl was getting his third dose, others were taking care of some unfinished business.

Corey Banks showed up to get his second dose, making sure to match his first shot of Moderna.

“I honestly just want to travel. I go to Florida with my dad. I love him. He’s my best friend. So this is what you got to do to do it. So that’s what I’m doing,” Banks said.

“That means the world to me. We can just get away, no working and just love, man. All love.”

It wasn’t just about taking a vacation. One woman who did not wish to be named said her motivation to get a third dose was to visit an ailing family member in the United States. Another man getting his first dose was lured in by the free barbecue.

In the vicinity was Jade Duckette, fully vaccinated but without any travel plans in the near future. When asked, he recognized the ethical dilemma of receiving a third dose while vaccines remain scarce abroad for developing countries.

“Some people don’t have a choice. They have to travel for work and if they’re not going to be allowed into the country they have to travel to, they’re going to have to do something,” Duckette said.

“There’s ethical issues but there’s also poverty issues.”

After a lot of time spent ruminating, Kevin Delorme was finally looking for his first dose.

He was worried by false claims of vaccines altering human DNA. He also saw them through the eyes of a late adopter.

“There was people getting sick from it, hospitalized, stuff like that. I’m just really protective over my family. It’s just like an early game system. It takes time to get perfected, right,” Delorme said. “Hopefully they got all their gunk sorted out.”

Delorme found it hard to get direct, credible answers to his questions around the vaccine. It was a family doctor at Four Directions Community Health Centre who walked him through his concerns.

“I had a nice explanation given to us so we feel little safer now,” he said.

But the deal breaker was seeing the trend toward vaccine mandates.

“If you can’t beat them, join them, right?”