Photo Credit: The Canadian Press

By Shane Clausing

vaccine rollout

Alberta expands vaccine rollout to Phase 2B

Mar 29, 2021 | 12:23 PM

The Province of Alberta has announced that it is moving into Phase 2B of its COVID-19 vaccine rollout plan starting on Tuesday, March 30.

On March 30, Albertans born in or before 1963 with underlying conditions will be able to book appointments through participating pharmacies in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer.

Starting on April 5, Alberta Health Services will begin to take bookings for people eligible in Phase 2B born in or before 1959.

As more vaccine supply becomes available, other pharmacies across the province will begin to offer bookings as well.

Those with underlying conditions which are eligible include:

• A missing spleen or a spleen that is no longer working
• Cancer
• Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
• Chronic kidney diseases requiring regular medical monitoring or treatment
• Chronic liver disease due to any cause
• Chronic neurological disease
• Chronic respiratory (lung) diseases
• Diabetes requiring insulin or other anti-diabetic medication to control
• A weakened immune response due to disease or treatment
• Anyone who is currently pregnant
• Severe mental illness or substance use disorder requiring a hospital stay during the past year
• Severe obesity
• Severe or profound learning disabilities or severe developmental delay
• Solid-organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients

By the end of Phase 2B, all Albertans with underlying health conditions aged 16 and up will be eligible to book a vaccine appointment.

A doctor’s note or other proof of your condition is not required to get vaccinated in Phase 2B, however, the province suggests those considering should talk to their doctor or pharmacist to help understand if their condition is on this list.

Minister of Health for Alberta, Tyler Shandro, says this is another big step forward for the provinces vaccination program.

“Anyone with these serious health conditions will now be eligible for vaccines that give effective protection from COVID-19. We’re ramping up our vaccinations as fast as the incoming vaccine supply allows. Every adult in Alberta will be offered a first dose by the end of June.”

The provincial government also announced today it will begin making it easier for homebound Albertans to get their vaccine.

As of March 29, AHS is offering the vaccine to an estimated 3,000 homebound Albertans in Phase 1 and Phase 2A. The program will expand into Phase 2B over the next several days.

The program will work similarly to how to annual influenza vaccine is provided to homebound individuals.

For the time being, homebound individuals are only eligible to be vaccinated through this program. Caregivers, spouses, other household and family members are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, either at a participating pharmacy or AHS immunization site.