Provincial Press Release January 18, 2021 @10:21am published at 11:40am
Premier Jason Kenney issued the following statement on vaccine supply in Alberta:
“Alberta Health Services has administered nearly 90,000 doses to eligible health-care workers and staff and residents in continuing care around the province to date. We continue to lead the large provinces in the pace of COVID-19 vaccination. This is positive news.
“I am also pleased to report that first dose vaccinations have wrapped up at all 357 long-term care and designated supported living facilities in the province.
“However, due to the unexpected supply disruption the federal government announced last week, Alberta will have no more vaccine doses available to administer as first doses by the end of today or early tomorrow.
“Accordingly, no more new first dose appointments will be accepted and some first dose appointments already booked will be rescheduled over the coming days to accommodate limited supply. Doses have been allocated to ensure second doses are available for committed appointments.
“As I have stated several times since our vaccine rollout started, our ability to get needed vaccine in the arms of Albertans is limited by the number of vaccine doses we have on hand. It is frustrating to see this happen while other countries, like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel have received significantly larger quantities of vaccines.
“I am deeply disappointed at the situation we are now facing. The news on January 15 that Pfizer shipments would be cut by 20 to 80 per cent over the coming weeks only adds to our frustration and means we have had to significantly slow down our vaccination plan.
“Alberta currently has the capacity to deliver 50,000 doses per week. In March, we expect to be able to administer about 200,000 doses per week. But we do not have the supply to match. Unfortunately, this means that the planned vaccination of First Nations and Métis individuals and seniors over age 75 has been put on hold.
“I want to assure Albertans that despite this setback, we remain in position to immediately ramp-up and get back to record vaccination numbers once sufficient doses are delivered. We remain undeterred in our efforts to get vaccines to those who need them most.”