(Photo: AHS)

By Darren Rathwell

Vaccine interest grows in Medicine Hat after $100 promise by province

Sep 8, 2021 | 4:55 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Some Medicine Hat pharmacies are seeing a spike in interest in COVID-19 vaccines following a new provincial incentive to get the shot.

Last week, Premier Jason Kenney announced his government would pay $100 to people who get a first or second dose before Oct. 14.

“The Delta variant is causing concerning rises in hospitalizations in our province almost entirely among unvaccinated Albertans,” Kenney said on Friday.

A pair of Medicine Hat pharmacies say they fielded several phone calls over the weekend about the vaccine, a jump over the weekend before.

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“The calls this weekend were off the charts … we’re seeing more first shots than we did before,” pharmacist Kathy Kieser with Greg’s Remedy’s said.

Medicine Hat Pharmasave owner/pharmacist Shane Rathwell also believes the $100 vaccine reward, along with concerns over travel, spurred people to call his operation for vaccine information.

“(We received) a whole bunch of phone calls by people wanting to book appointments,” Rathwell said, adding many of those interested were in their 20s and 30s. “The supply that I have within a couple of days is all accounted for.”

Meanwhile, Alberta Health Services says 5,268 people got COVID-19 vaccines over the weekend, not including those who may have done so at pharmacies. That is a 13 per cent bump compared with the previous weekend.

Medicine Hat pharmacies are struggling to keep up with demand.

“We’re not getting enough (vaccine), we ask the province for 180 doses. (I) find it difficult to understand why they’re not giving it to us. We may get 60 if we’re lucky, ” Kieser said.

“I can do twice what I’m doing now. I don’t have the vaccine,” Kieser added.

Rathwell says it takes 10 days to get more vaccine, and those interested are on a waiting list.

Hospitalizations and ICU numbers are rising and the majority of patients being treated are unvaccinated. The health care system is under strain, and the provincial government believes the solution is getting as many people vaccinated as possible.

Many including the opposition NDP are still calling for a vaccine passport. Other provinces have seen a significant jump in vaccination rates once a passport was introduced.

But the premier has said he has no plans to introduce one in Alberta.

“If you are unvaccinated it is urgent that you protect yourself, our hospitals, and our entire community by getting the benefit of this miracle of modern medicine,” Kenney said.