Province expanding vaccine eligibility

Posted on May 6, 2021 by Vauxhall Advance

All Albertans over the age of 12 will soon be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine to protect themselves and stop the spike.

After offering vaccine to Albertans most at risk for severe outcomes, Alberta has now progressed to Phase 3, where everyone over the age of 12 can make an appointment to receive their first dose.

With this expansion, 3.8 million Albertans will become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

To avoid overwhelming booking systems, appointments will be staggered in two age groups.

•Starting on May 6, every Albertan 30 or older (born in 1991 or earlier), can book an appointment through Alberta Health Services or a participating pharmacy.

•On May 10, appointment bookings will expand to include Albertans ages 12 to 29 (born in 2009 to 1992).

More than 1.66 million doses of vaccine have now been administered across the province. All vaccine appointments will continue to rely on the incoming supply to Alberta.

“This is a very exciting day for Alberta and it arrives right when we need it the most. We are battling an extremely aggressive third wave of COVID-19 and we know that vaccines are our best weapon against it. By opening bookings to everybody over 12 years of age, we are taking a huge step towards stopping the spike and hopefully putting this pandemic behind us for good,” said Jason Kenney, premier of Alberta.

“We vowed to protect those who were most at risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 first. We’ve done just that, and now, happily, we can move to protect the general population, starting with those age 30 and older. We are ahead of schedule and delivering on our promise to provide at least one dose to every adult Albertan who wants one by June 30. Now that we have gotten to this point, every Albertan can help drive cases down by getting vaccinated,” added Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health.

All eligible Albertans will be able to book appointments to receive a mRNA vaccine with AHS online or through 811.

Albertans can also book an appointment for these vaccines through participating pharmacies. 

To find the closest location to you with an earliest available booking date, check the list on Alberta Blue Cross.

“We need every Albertan who is eligible to book their appointment and get immunized. It may take time at first, but please be patient and book your appointment in the coming weeks. This is the most important thing you can do to protect yourselves, your loved ones, and your communities,” stated Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health.

Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.