(Photo: Government of Alberta)

By Troy Gillard

As Alberta nears target for lifting restrictions…

Local vaccination rates lag behind rest of province

Jun 17, 2021 | 10:36 AM

Central Albertans aren’t turning out as much as the rest of the province to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

While nearly 70 per cent of eligible people province-wide have received at least one dose (69.7%), local immunization rates are for the most part much lower.

As of Wednesday, 61.9 per cent of residents (56,778) included in the Red Deer local geographic area on the province’s vaccination map have received at least one vaccine dose.

Looking at other mid-sized cities, Lethbridge is at 70.3 per cent, Medicine Hat 65.2 and Grande Prairie 51.6.

Essentially half (50.1 per cent) of residents in the Red Deer County region have received at least one dose. Sylvan Lake checks in at 51 per cent, Lacombe at 56.3 per cent, Rimbey 50.5, Rocky Mountain House 49.9 and Ponoka is at 55.9 per cent. Innisfail is slightly behind Red Deer at 61.2 per cent.

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Just over one-quarter, 25.5 per cent, of Red Deer area residents are fully immunized with two doses, which is higher than the provincial rate of 23.1 per cent. Lethbridge it at 28.3 per cent, Medicine Hat 27.4 and Grande Prairie 13.7.

Red Deer County is at 19.4 per cent when it comes to second doses, Sylvan Lake 17.8 per cent, Lacombe 23 per cent, Rimbey 21.9, Rocky Mountain House 19.5, Ponoka 25.6 and Innisfail 24.9 per cent.

Alberta’s “Open for Summer Plan” where most public health restrictions would be lifted calls for 70 per cent of Albertans 12+ to have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine. An announcement regarding this could come as early as today (Thursday).

Looking across the Prairies, experts say people who have not yet been vaccinated include outright pandemic deniers, people who are hesitant and those who face mobility, cultural or socio-economic barriers.

Recent data compiled by the Manitoba government estimates 69 per cent of Manitobans were “keeners” intent on getting doses as soon as they could. It said another 12 per cent were likely to get the vaccine but were not in a rush, about nine per cent were skeptical and undecided, and fewer than 10 per cent were adamant that they would not get a shot.

Timothy Caulfield, who specializes in health law and policy at the University of Alberta, says he is seeing the same trend in Alberta.

Governments are trying carrots more than sticks to win over the hesitant. Manitoba and Alberta are offering lotteries with prizes totalling millions of dollars. There are ad campaigns urging people to get a vaccine to protect their loved ones, or to help move a province to the point where it can reopen concert venues, theatres and large sporting events.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said this week his government will not hold a lottery, saying, “If you like to gamble, then I would suggest to you don’t get your shot. The prize is not what you think.”

(With file from The Canadian Press)