Healthy Albertans will have to pay for COVID-19 vaccine next fall
Albertans who are not immunocompromised or dependent on social programs will have to pay out-of-pocket for the COVID-19 vaccine this fall.
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The Alberta government's policy change was meant to cut down on waste and minimize costs, it said in a statement released late Friday afternoon.
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Vaccines will only be available at public health clinics, the release added. Community pharmacies will no longer be administering the vaccine.
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The vaccine program this fall will be rolled out in four phases.
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The second phase will see those with underlying medical conditions, immunocompromised, living in congregate living accommodations and/or on social programs get access to the vaccines, free of cost.
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'In previous years, we've seen significant vaccine wastage. By shifting to a targeted approach and introducing pre-ordering, we aim to better align supply with demand — ensuring we remain fiscally responsible while continuing to protect those at highest risk,' Alberta's Primary and Preventative Health Minister Adriana LaGrange said in the release.
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The third and fourth phases will make the remaining vaccines available first to healthy Albertans aged 65 and older and lastly to other residents looking to be immunized. But the vaccines will come at a cost, the release stated, although the final price has not been determined as yet.
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For the 2025-26 season, approximately 485,000 doses have been ordered to support the targeted COVID-19 immunization program.
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More than one million COVID-19 vaccine doses were wasted last year, according to the government, amounting to 54 per cent of Alberta's order or $135 million worth of vaccine inventory.
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This year, the province is encouraging Albertans to pre-book their appointments starting August 11 through the provincial vaccine booking system.
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Sarah Hoffman, the Alberta NDP's health critic, called the change 'dangerous', 'callous' and 'anti-public health.'
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'It's cruel for the UCP government to put further financial burdens on Albertans who want to protect their health and their loved ones and not get COVID,' she stated in a statement released on Friday, responding to the change.
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She criticized LaGrange as a 'terrible health minister who lost control of her department' and the UCP government as 'creating more chaos.'
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