Albertans and the UCP government have received a boost in the past few weeks in the battle against the COVID-19.
After an initial struggle in getting vaccinations rolling out at the end of December and the start of the new year, Alberta Health Services and the Province began hitting its stride.
Premier Jason Kenney announced on Jan. 18 vaccinations have been completed on all 357 long-term care and designated support-living facilities in Alberta. And vaccinations to front-line and health-care workers is well under way.
In the past six weeks, during a time when photos of winning shots are usually coming off the Okotoks Bisons, Oilers and Raiders, the Wheel has had two photos of health-care workers and a senior citizen receiving their vaccination – all good news.
As well, slowly – too slow for many – restrictions on some businesses have been lifted as COVID-19 according to statistics, subside. Hopefully more restrictions will be lifted in the near future.
And good news is what the provincial government is much needed in a month that has seen some UCP MLAs jet off for holidays, a coal mining proposal raise the ire of Albertans and its investment in the Keystone XL pipeline shakier than Jello being carried by an excited toddler with the inauguration of a new U.S. president on Jan. 20.
Despite the positive news of the vaccine rollout in Alberta in the past few days, it could all come to a stop. Through no fault of the r]provincial government own first dose vaccinations may come to a halt due to production reductions at Pfizer.
It will be paramount that the federal government get doses to provinces as quickly as possible.
In the meantime, Alberta must stay the course and the government must continue to send a strong message of protocols and social responsibility as Albertans await more vaccinations.
And Albertans must respond.
Otherwise, the shot of good news will quickly fade.
