Alberta pharmacies seeing long wait times for COVID-19 shots with limited vaccines

Many pharmacies in Alberta say they can't keep up with demand for COVID-19 vaccines as Albertans face long wait times at public immunization clinics.

With a surge of people looking to get their COVID-19 shots, an Edmonton pharmacist says long wait times to get the vaccine through public immunization clinics are impacting pharmacies.

“I see more frustration along with the demands this year,” Mauli Patel told CTV News Edmonton. “The way it was advertised and the people that are experiencing it is not the same.”

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Alberta’s public immunization program gives out free COVID-19 vaccines to those who are at a higher risk as per National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations.

Anyone not eligible to get the vaccine for free can get the shot at a private pharmacy for a fee upwards of $100.

Those looking to use the provincial program have to book an appointment at a public clinic, but Patel said she’s hearing from patients that the online booking system is confusing to navigate, particularly for seniors, often leading them to give up and get the shot privately.

“I see that people have accepted the fact that if they want to be safe, they will have to pay,” she said. “They keep coming to the pharmacies asking for it, and now the pharmacies also have limited supply.”

A Primary Care Alberta spokesperson said Health Link has been seeing above average call volumes over the past week, and are working to maximize staffing to meet the demand.

“While we do not anticipate this volume to persist, we continue to assess the need and adjust our staffing levels,” said an email from spokesperson Nicole Merrifield.

New immunization appointments are also being added daily to meet demand.

“Public Health teams are monitoring community needs and expanding capacity where possible,” said Merrifield. “These efforts aim to ensure Albertans can access clinics quickly and efficiently.”

On Monday, Patel had just two vaccines, and she said she’s constantly checking her supplier’s website to see if there are more available, and when they are, she can only order a maximum of 10 per day.

She said she thought the public would have better access through the province’s program.

“We never even imagined in our wildest dreams that this would be the situation,” said Patel.

Alberta’s Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services said there is no shortage of vaccines through its immunization program, which primarily administers Moderna.

“As of Oct. 31, more than 171,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across Alberta through the provincial immunization program,” said a statement from the ministry. “There is no shortage of vaccines for our immunization program, and the number of doses administered by the end of the first week of this season is in line with last year’s levels.”

The province said it does not play a role in private procurement or distribution and vaccines available through its immunization program are procured by the federal government.

Pfizer Canada said it has limited the distribution of its COMIRNATY vaccine to the private market due to increased demand.

“Demand for COMIRNATY this season has been stronger than expected,” said a Pfizer spokesperson in an email Monday. “Allocation is a proactive measure to manage supply and maintain availability for all customers. This does not mean there is a shortage; rather, it is intended to prevent one and ensure fair access during this period of high demand.”

The company said additional inventory is expected soon with advanced shipments.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson