By Chris Brown

For underlying health conditions

Alberta to start Phase 2B of vaccine rollout March 30

Mar 29, 2021 | 12:19 PM

With Alberta’s vaccine rollout expanding to Phase 2B on March 30, more than 945,000 Albertans with underlying health conditions will be eligible to book their COVID-19 vaccination.

Phase 2B of the rollout includes cancer patients, transplant recipients, individuals with disabilities, dementia and other conditions that put them at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19.

Starting March 30, Albertans born in or before 1963 with eligible underlying conditions will be able to book appointments through participating pharmacies that have vaccine supply in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. In the coming week, as more vaccine supply is available, other pharmacies will begin to offer bookings.

Beginning Monday, April 5, Alberta Health Services will start taking bookings for people eligible in Phase 2B born in or before 1959.

Additional birth years in Phase 2B will become eligible as more vaccines arrive.

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By the end of Phase 2B, all Albertans born in 2005 or earlier (ages 16 and up) with any of the following high-risk health conditions will be able to receive the vaccine:

• A missing spleen or a spleen that is no longer working
• Cancer
• Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
• Chronic kidney diseases requiring regular medical monitoring or treatment
• Chronic liver disease due to any cause
• Chronic neurological disease
• Chronic respiratory (lung) diseases
• Diabetes requiring insulin or other anti-diabetic medication to control
• A weakened immune response due to disease or treatment
• Anyone who is currently pregnant
• Severe mental illness or substance use disorder requiring a hospital stay during the past year
• Severe obesity
• Severe or profound learning disabilities or severe developmental delay
• Solid organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients

More specific information on each underlying health condition, including examples, is available at alberta.ca.

The health conditions chosen for Phase 2B are associated with a higher risk of death or hospitalization from COVID-19 and were recommended by the Alberta Advisory Committee on Immunization.

Phase 2B bookings will follow a staggered approach.

On March 30, Albertans born from 1957 to 1963 with underlying health conditions can book an appointment at participating pharmacies in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer. To find the closest location to you with the earliest available booking date, check the list on Alberta Blue Cross.

Additional pharmacies will offer bookings starting the week of April 5 as more doses arrive.

Starting April 5, all eligible Albertans born in 1957, 1958 and 1959 will also be able to book appointments with AHS online or through 811.

Starting March 29, AHS will offer the vaccine to an estimated 3,000 homebound Albertans eligible in Phase 1 and 2A. The program will expand to Phase 2B individuals in the coming days and to other groups as they become eligible in upcoming phases of the provincial vaccination program.

Similar to how the annual influenza vaccine is provided to homebound individuals, the COVID-19 vaccine will be administered by AHS Public Health or Home Care, depending on the health zone.

Only homebound individuals are eligible to be vaccinated through this program, at this time. Caregivers, spouses, other household and family members are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible, either at a participating pharmacy or AHS immunization site.