Alberta’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout has hit an important milestone.
As of Feb. 24, any Albertan born in 1946 or earlier and living in the community can book their vaccine appointment online or over the phone, Premier Jason Kenney announced at a Feb. 19 press conference, adding that AHS will offer the vaccine directly to all residents in retirement centres, lodges, supportive living and other congregate living facilities with residents who are 75 or older.
“I have rheumatoid arthritis so I’m a little compromised,” said Okotoks’ Nancy Peterson, who turned 85 this week. “I live alone and I just want to be able to see family. I haven’t really seen anybody, I’ve seen one son. So I would like to at least be able to do a little bit of getting out of the house.
“Once I get the (two) shots I will feel much safer.”
Peterson said the rollout could have been managed better when asked about the fact she has not yet been able receive a dose.
“I think it’s a bunch of foolishness, it should have been out,” Peterson said. “I realize they didn’t get the vaccine, but I don’t think they were very organized when they started out. It could have been much better managed.
“I don’t know, I’m an old RN, but I think it could have been available sooner.”
Peterson, a former registered nurse in Bassano and volunteer in Okotoks, said she has no qualms at all about vaccines, noting the important role they’ve had in mitigating other threats to public health.
“I helped in working with polio and that’s one for sure where the vaccine helped tremendously,” she said. “This is going to do the same thing, I hope. We just have to wait and see.
“I’m just anxiously waiting for my shot.”
Peterson said she’ll be on the computer trying to set up and register an appointment on the first day available.
The Province also provided further details of which priority groups will be part of the second phase of vaccinations which are expected to be begin in April, broken up into four sub-groups from A-D.
“With a limited amount of vaccines, we must make difficult choices to ensure that those people who are most at risk are protected first, following the data and the scientific advice,” Kenney said.
Group A includes all Albertans aged 65 to 74 as well as First Nations and Métis aged between 50 to 64 on and off reserve or Métis settlements along with licensed supportive living facilities staff that were not include in the first phase.
Those in Group B include those aged 18 to 64 with high-risk underlying health conditions, Group C encompasses residents and staff of eligible congregate living settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters and group homes.
Group D is comprised by Albertans aged 50 to 64 as well as First Nations and Métis aged 35 to 49.
Details for the third and fourth phases of the vaccine rollout have not been released by the Province at this time with too many unknown factors at play cited as the rationale.
Alberta Minister of Health Tyler Shandro said the most important factor for COVID-19 survival comes down to age.
“We know that the age of a patient is the most important predictor of a severe outcome from COVID-19,” he said.
The Premier stated that all residents in publicly-run long term care and designated supported living facilities have been fully immunized with both shots.
Alberta has been among the most effective of the provinces in getting its available vaccines into the arms of its residents with 84.3 per cent of delivered doses administered. As of Feb. 21, 173,539 vaccine doses have been administered with 69,362 Albertans fully immunized with two doses.
For more information on vaccinations and booking appointments go to alberta.ca/covid19-vaccine.aspx.
