By Chris Brown

Starting with health-care professionals

Nearly 30,000 health workers to get first dose of COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the month

Dec 14, 2020 | 12:14 PM

The first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines has arrived in Alberta and Health Minister Tyler Shandro says more is expected to arrive soon.

The shipment of 3,900 doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is expected in Alberta Tuesday and they are being safely stored at the designated sites in Calgary and Edmonton.

“As announced, we’ll begin immunizing ICU doctors and nurses, respiratory therapists and eligible continuing care staff in Edmonton and in Calgary,” said Shandro.

Another 25,300 doses is expected next week, Shandro said.

Shandro said the close to 29,000 doses can all be first doses. The vaccine requires two doses.

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“We’re going to give the first dose of the vaccine to 29,000 health-care professionals by the end of December,” he said.

Shandro called the news “the first real ray of light in the dark night that our health-care professionals have lived through for 10 months now.”

Pfizer requires these first shipments only be administered at the site of delivery, so it can’t go to continuing care facilities.

The Moderna vaccine is expected in Alberta by the end of December. Unlike the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna’s does not require ultra-cold storage and therefore can go out to continuing care centres.

The Moderna vaccine is still waiting for approval from Health Canada.

Shandro said is encouraging that daily case numbers appear to be flattening out and the forecast growth of hospital admissions is also coming down.

“But those are only the first signs of a change and they’ll only continue if we stay the course here in Alberta,” said Shandro. “We have to follow the restrictions that are in place and we have to protect each other.”

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said it will be some time before the general population can be immunized.

“We are still many months away from seeing widespread protection against COVID-19. Which means the steps we are taking now to slow the spread and bend the curve are still critical.”

The first Canadian vaccination was done on Monday in Ontario.

In the first phase of vaccine distribution, about 10 per cent of the population will be vaccinated.

Long-term care and designated supportive living residents and staff, and health-care personnel, on-reserve First Nations members over 65 years and seniors over 75 years old will be vaccinated in the first phase, expected to run until April.

The second phase will run from April to September with groups to be determined, followed by opening vaccinations to all Albertans.

Hinshaw said vaccination will be offered to all nut will not be required, even among health-care workers.

“It’s their choice and there will be no sanctions against them.”

The third phase will see the vaccinations given to the general Alberta population, and is anticipated to start later in 2021.

Hinshaw announced 1,887 new cases were identified over the past 24 hours.

She said there are now 716 Albertans in hospital due to COVID-19, 136 of which are in ICU. Fifteen more COVID-19 deaths were reported by Hinshaw.

Full numbers will be available later on Monday.