Premier Jason Kenney announced this afternoon that the province received a second shipment of Pfizer vaccine containing 25,350 doses. Over the coming days, these vaccines will be administered by public health workers to front-line staff most at risk of COVID-19.
“These doses will go to those critical and long-term care workers who are on the front lines looking after our most vulnerable Albertans – those living in continuing care centres and the sickest patients in our hospitals.”
Edmonton and Calgary will each receive another 6,825 doses and Red Deer will receive 1,950 doses of the vaccine from this second shipment. In addition to St. Paul, the other rural communities receiving vaccines from this shipment include: Brooks, Camrose, Drumheller, Edson, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and Pincher Creek.
Kenney maintained that “this is just the beginning of immunization in Alberta, but we are off to a strong start. We will be ready to safely and quickly distribute all future doses into the arms of Albertans.”
Alberta received its first shipment of 3,900 Pfizer vaccine doses Dec. 14, with 3,074 health care workers having already received their first shots. The first phase of vaccine rollout focuses on respiratory therapists, intensive care physicians and staff and designated supportive living facility workers across Alberta.
“This vaccine requires ultra-cold storage but thanks to the planning and prep work of our teams at Alberta Health, Alberta Health Services and the vaccine task force, we have been able to safely and successfully receive these doses at locations in almost every corner of the province,” Kenney said in today’s press conference.
