COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna. (Dreamstime)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge getting walk-in vaccine clinic

Albertans flocking to COVID vaccines as more become eligible: Kenney

Apr 20, 2021 | 4:08 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A significant number of Albertans have signed up to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Premier Jason Kenney says, as of April 20, 2021, 1,196,000 doses of vaccine have been administered across the province. That includes doses from Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.

82 per cent of Albertans aged 75+ have received at least one dose as has 73 per cent of those aged 65-74 and half of people aged 60-64.

Roughly one-in-four Albertans who are at least 16 years old have gotten at least their first shot.

“With COVID-19 cases at high levels throughout the province, we want as many folks as possible to be able to choose the protection that this vaccine offers,” says Kenney. “Bookings are now available, and so far, the response has been amazing.”

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The good news for those still wanting to get immunized is that Alberta Health Services will be opening more walk-in vaccine clinics in every health zone.

Starting on Wednesday, that includes sites in Lethbridge, Camrose, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Fort McMurray. Brooks and Medicine Hat will have their own walk-in clinics opening on Friday.

Kenney did not specify where in each of these communities those clinics will be.

On Monday, the Alberta Government lowered the eligibility age for AstraZeneca from 55 to 40, leading to an influx of people wanting to reserve their spot in line.

READ MORE: Alberta drops AstraZeneca vaccine eligibility to age 40

To this point, approximately 107,000 doses of the Covishield-AstraZeneca vaccine have already been given out.

Over the next 10 days, appointments have been booked for another 67,900.

A key problem, however, is that the version of AstraZeneca Canada is using comes from India and that government looks to prioritize immunizing its own people.

“However, we only have about 160,000 doses of AstraZeneca remaining right now and we don’t know when our next shipment will come in.”

“As you may have heard, the Indian government has temporarily banned export shipments, so once again, we’re being affected by vaccine nationalism. So if you’re over the age of 40, I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity before supply runs out.”

Last week, Moderna announced that its shipments to Canada are being cut in half for the next couple of weeks, impacting around 64,000 doses. Pfizer, on the other hand, is expected to drastically increase their supplies.

READ MORE: Federal government expecting 1M vaccine doses this week after Moderna delays delivery

Kenney stuck by his government’s prior commitment to ensuring that every single adult in the province will be able to get some level of protection against COVID-19 by the end of June if they choose to do so.