By Chris Brown

"exhausted" health care workers first up

Shandro: Alberta COVID-19 vaccinations to start next week

Dec 9, 2020 | 4:03 PM

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says COVID-19 vaccinations in Alberta will begin on Dec. 16.

The first 3,900 doses will go to ICU doctors and nurses, respiratory therapists and long-term care workers throughout the province.

“These staff are exhausted and they’ve put themselves at risk for 10 months. They need support and they need to know we’re there for them,” said Shandro. “Alberta is ready to deliver this vaccine.”

Staff from two hospitals in each of Calgary and Edmonton will be the first to get the vaccine.

Shandro hopes the vaccinations will show the health-care workers, their patients and all Albertans that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

wanted after failing to appear

UPDATE: Red Deer RCMP make arrest of Swan Hills man sought since failure to appear

22h ago

29-year-old red deer resident

Red Deer Mounties arrest man for alleged assault

22h ago

Crime

Alberta woman sentenced to eight years for killing of girl found in hockey bag

23h ago

“We hope that by covering staff we will start to reduce the risk to patients and residents.”

The vaccine can only be administered at the site of delivery in this first round, so it can’t be delivered to continuing care facilities. Once that can happen, residents of these facilities will begin to receive the vaccine as well.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved by Health Canada today. Ultra-cold freezers needed for Pfizer vaccines are now installed at eight locations across Alberta.

Also in Phase 1 of Alberta’s vaccine strategy are seniors aged 75 and older, on-reserve First Nations individuals and on-settlement Metis individuals age 65 and older, and health-care workers who are most likely to transmit COVID-19 to those at greatest risk and who are critical for maintaining hospital capacity.

Phase 2 is still expected to begin by April and will again be targeted to the next groups of prioritized populations. Final decisions regarding eligibility in Phase 2 have not yet been determined. Phase 3 will involve rolling out vaccinations to the general Alberta population, anticipated to start later in 2021.

Additional details will be announced when Phase 1 begins in early January.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said while the arrival of a vaccine is positive news, “it will be some time before we can immunize most Albertans. Until then we must be the vaccine for each other.”

She also advised Albertans that they should continue to seek medical attention, saying that avoiding a necessary visit to a doctor can lead to more serious problems.

“COVID-19 has put a lot of things on hold, but your health should not be one of them,” she said. “the health system in Alberta remains a safe place to go if you need help.”

Hinshaw urged Albertans to listen to their bodies and seek medical help if needed.