COVID-19 vaccine shots are now available to Albertans for pre-order ahead of the fall rollout. An appointment to get vaccinated is still necessary, and it’ll cost more than $100 for most. Premier Danielle Smith’s government announced the policy shift in June. “It’s an incredibly bad policy,” said Alberta’s former chief medical officer of health, Dr. James Talbot. “The province has made the vaccine less accessible. They’ve cut out 90 per cent of the venues that it could be available at, which were the pharmacies, which people loved because it was the convenient place to go. “They’ve ordered 240,000 doses fewer than they gave out last year.” Smith has said $135 million got “flushed down the drain” last year, with doses wasted in part because Albertans are increasingly choosing not to get them. “It’s a complete red herring. First of all, if that money was wasted, it was federal government money because they paid for the vaccine,” said Talbot. “Secondly, the provincial government was responsible for how the vaccine was delivered, and so if they allowed it to be delivered in a way that was wasted, that’s on them.” The premier has also cast doubt on how well the COVID vaccine works while still covering the costs of it for some, including those with compromised immune systems. The Alberta Federation of Labour says the rollout plan is deeply concerning for health-care workers and those who are exposed to the virus. “Our provincial government is putting up barriers to access the vaccine,” said president Gil McGowan. “It’s a very deliberate barrier. So, cost is one of those barriers. The limited categories of people who are immediately accessible to the vaccine—that’s another category.” McGowan says the province only has to look back on the measles outbreak that ripped through the province. “This is a recipe for a medical disaster,” said McGowan. “That’s why we are here, on behalf of our members, calling for the provincial government to reconsider their approach to this vaccine rollout.” Public health experts have said the policy could introduce barriers to getting vaccinated and lead to higher costs for things such as hospitalizations and severe complications. “People who are rich will have no problems being able to pay,” said Talbot. “Those who are working poor, who have to make a decision about whether or not they’re going to feed their kids or buy school supplies or get the vaccine—they’re going to have a real difficult choice.” Albertans have until Sept 30 to pre-order both their influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. According to provincial data, about 700,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered last year. On Monday afternoon, the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services issued a statement: “For the upcoming season, Alberta has ordered just over 485,000 COVID-19 vaccines. The administrative cost for Albertans who are not eligible for a free vaccine is still being determined and will be shared in the near future. This cost will not generate profit—it will support the delivery of the fall immunization program," the statement said. “As of Aug. 11, approximately 739,000 Albertans had received a COVID-19 vaccine during the 2024–25 respiratory virus season. This represents only 13.9 per cent of Albertans, and uptake among lower-risk groups has declined significantly in recent seasons. “NACI’s latest advice also considers cost-effectiveness analyses from Canada, the U.K. and the U.S., which indicate that vaccinating the general population is not currently warranted given the expected benefit.” The statement said ensuring those at highest risk remains the province’s priority: “Albertans who do not pre-order by Sept. 30 will still have the opportunity to book a vaccine appointment once the vaccine becomes available in October,” the statement said. With files from The Canadian Press
