By Amy Ramsay

Not arriving fast enough

Redcliff pharmacist says vaccine booking has been a bit of a headache

Apr 9, 2021 | 12:41 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – After three weeks without vaccines, the Pharmasave in Redcliff received 200 doses of the Moderna vaccine over the Easter long weekend. By the end of this week, the pharmacy is aiming to have 700 people vaccinated against COVID-19.

Pharmacist Rob Hozack says he’s pleased to get the vaccines after waiting weeks for them to arrive. But he adds they aren’t receiving the vaccines at a fast enough rate, especially given the seriousness of the third wave and increasing case numbers.

“Booking has been a bit of a headache. Alberta Health wants us to have booked appointments before they would send out vaccines, so we tried that at first. It obviously ate up all kinds of time to book people. Then the vaccine wouldn’t show up, then we’d un-book them. So we’ve just quit booking anyone until we have the vaccine in hand,” said Hozack.

Right now the pharmacy is able to administer 50-60 doses a day. According to Hozack, those numbers could be a lot higher and easily reach into the hundreds if the rollout was faster and booking was made a little easier.

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Even though there is limited access to the vaccine, those who have received it found the process easy.

Earl Neilson, who has received both of his COVID shots, says both went well. Dianne McCartney says it was a pleasant experience with a little wait time.

So far more than 100,000 Albertans have been fully vaccinated and phase three of the rollout plan is slated to begin later this spring.