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Medical, surgical units also added

Workers on COVID units added to priority vaccine list

Jan 8, 2021 | 4:13 PM

Alberta has opened COVID-19 vaccinations to health-care workers in COVID units, as well as medical and surgical units.

The province says about 3,300 COVID unit staff and 15,400 medical and surgical unit staff are now eligible for the vaccine.

This week, more than 200 Alberta physicians urged the government to prioritize vaccinations for those on COVID units.

As well, a directive from chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw will allow doctors, nurses and pharmacists who are not Alberta Health Services employees to deliver the vaccine.

“There are many regulated health practitioners who are authorized and have the knowledge, skill and competence to issue a vaccine,” says Hinshaw in a release. “This directive will help us empower as many of our dedicated health-care workers as possible to join the broader team and help immunize Albertans.”

As of Jan. 7, 37,686 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta, a rate of 852.3 doses per 100,000 population.