Alberta receives 16,900 doses of Moderna vaccine

The Voice of Canada News:

Moderna vaccine doses have arrived in Alberta and will be offered to residents in continuing care facilities.

This initial shipment will be used to immunize residents at long-term care and designated supportive living facilities beginning with those at highest risk, as the Moderna vaccine can be more readily transported to continuing care sites.

The vaccine will be delivered to vaccine sites in Calgary, St. Paul, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Red Deer and Edmonton and will be offered to residents in continuing care facilities in those communities. In addition, the Moderna doses will be offered to residents at six First Nation congregate living facilities on-reserve. The Provincial Vaccine Depot will also receive vaccine for further distribution to rural and remote communities.

Immunization of residents in continuing care faciilites will start on Dec. 30.

“The arrival of Moderna in the province is another sign of hope – and as more vaccines arrive, we will ensure Albertans who wish to be vaccinated are immunized as quickly as possible when they are eligible. Everyone who wants to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will be able to when their turn arrives.”-Jason Kenney, Premier

“This news is particularly welcomed as we look towards a new year and what we hope will be a turning point in the fight against this global pandemic. The initial doses of the Moderna vaccine will be offered to residents in long-term care and designated supportive living facilities at highest risk.”-Tyler Shandro, Minister of Health

“I am very pleased to hear that we will have access to more vaccine that is more readily transportable, enabling us to offer it to vulnerable Albertans. This is heartening news, but it is not the end of our hard work. We must continue to follow health measures to bend the curve and we must continue to be each others’ vaccine until we are all able to be immunized.”Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health

As more shipments of both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines arrive in early January, immunization will focus on residents of long-term care and designated supportive living facilities, followed by seniors aged 75 and over and residents aged 65 and over of First Nations reserve communities and Metis settlements. Immunization of respiratory therapists, intensive care physicians and staff, and long-term care and designated supportive living facility workers across Alberta will continue.

Phase 2 is still expected to start by April 2021. Final decisions regarding the sequencing of populations to receive the vaccine in Phase 2 have not yet been determined.

Phase 3 will involve rolling out vaccinations to the general Alberta population, and is anticipated to start later in 2021.

Quick facts

• Alberta has worked closely with the federal government and other provinces and territories to acquire COVID-19 vaccines since the pandemic began.
• Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses.
• The Pfizer vaccine was approved on Dec. 9.
• The Moderna vaccine was approved on Dec. 23.