Alberta’s government faces the fierce and growing opposition to plans that will reduce access to COVID-19 vaccines with public funds in the province
The province announced late Friday that will limit the financing of the COVID-19 shots to very specific high-risk groups, including Alberta inhabitants who live in care homes and group environments, those who receive home care, people in social programs such as AISH and immunocompromised individuals.
Older people living in the community, pregnant Albertanes and health workers will have to pay their vaccine, along with the rest of the population.
The province estimates the cost of $ 110 per dose.
“My dominant emotion is sadness due to the people who will be affected by this wrong policy,” said Dr. James Talbot, former provincial medical director of Health.
“This says that if you want to avoid a serious illness and the serious consequences that accompany you, if you have money, it is fine. If you are a member of the family of poor workers or of a single father, it is not lucky.”
Prime Minister Danielle Smith defended the decision on Monday, saying that because the vials contain multiple doses that should be used within a few hours of opening, more than one million doses have been wasted in pharmacies and medical offices.
“That is $ 135 million. And that was very influential when saying, is there a better way to do it,” Smith said at an unrelated press conference in Calgary?
“The national standards are now to prioritize those who have the most probability of an adverse effect or adverse results. Therefore, we prioritize those who are more at risk. And that is what we decide to do.”
Talbot, also an attached professor at the University of Alberta, suggested that the waste should have been identified and approached much earlier and that the options, including the packaging of a single use, must be investigated.
On Monday, Smith said it is something for what they are pressing the pharmaceutical companies. But in the meantime, he said that lodges who want a vaccine will have to register in advance.
“We simply have so many priorities in medical care that we cannot afford to lose money,” he said.
High -risk groups
Infectious disease experts argue that Alberta is not actually following the most recent orientation of the National Immunization Advisory Committee (Nation).
“I think there are some … very significant gaps. I don’t think I have seen Alberta turn so far from national recommendations. And I think as a precedent, that is extremely worrying,” said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, a specialist in infectious diseases at the University of Alberta.
Naci recommends that all adults of 65 years and older should receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Groups that include pregnant individuals, people with underlying health conditions, individuals from the first nations and health workers must also obtain the opportunity, according to the guide.
“Alberta is not taking that first recommendation, it seems,” said Saxinger.
A secondary recommendation establishes that everyone else “can” receive a chance.
“It still recommends that Covid-19 routine vaccination can be administered. It does not recommend that you are not administered,” he said.
At the University of Calgary, Craig Jenne is worried about Alberta’s new policy, it will result in a greater absorption of vaccines in the province.
“What will finally lead to a greater number of people who require medical treatment, hospitalizations, visits to the ICU and, with luck, no, but probably, a greater loss of lives in the province,” said Jenne, a professor of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases.
According to provincial data, 368 Albertans have died due to COVID-19 and there have been more than 3,000 hospitalizations since the end of August 2024.
The federal government, which had been paying for COVID-19 vaccines, no longer. Until his announcement on Friday, Alberta’s government had received tight lips on how to handle coverage in the future.
Prime Minister Danielle Smith addressed COVID-19 vaccine policy changes in its weekend radio program Your province, your prime minister.
In that program, he said that the province threw more than one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine “because people simply do not want to get the vaccine [at] the same rate as others. “
Smith was asked why it is.
“I think it’s because it doesn’t work particularly well, if you want the truth. I mean … a vaccine is one in which you receive an injection once or twice, and then never develop the underlying condition. And therefore, you must judge vaccines on that basis,” he said.
Talbot rejects the statement that the COVID-19 vaccine does not work very well.
“She is absolutely wrong about how effective the vaccine is. And her own Ministry of Health has the data to prove it,” said Talbot, who is also an attached professor at Alberta University.
Jenne is also going back.
“This is a bit frustrating because this continues to lead to confusion and perhaps a bit of distrust of vaccines,” he said.
“Throughout the various virus mutations, throughout the various vaccine updates, they continue to work extremely well to prevent hospitalization, to prevent the entry of the ICU and, critically, to prevent death.”
During the 2024-25 respiratory virus season, 697,471 Dose of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered.
The provincial government said it has bought 485,000 doses for the next autumn and winter season.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Primary and Preventive Health Services told CBC News that vaccine orders are based on several factors, “including the expected absorption, the previous waste and the number of Albertanes that will probably be at risk of severe results.”
Health workers
The Alberta Medical Association is increasing the alarm on the exclusion of the Provincial Government of High Risk Groups identified by Nation, including older adults in the community and health workers.
He is also worried that pregnant people, the first nations, Inuit and Mécis Albertans, and other racialized groups are not mentioned.
“This is contrary to what other jurisdictions continue to do the recommendations of the National Immunization Advisory Committee,” said Dr. Shelley Duggan, president of the Alberta Medical Association, in a statement sent by email.
Calling the “irresponsible” and “dangerous” decision, the United Nurses of Alberta (UN) demand that the government immediately reversed the decision.
The Alberta Health Sciences Association (HSAA) is also asking the province to provide COVID vaccines to all first -line health workers and “any house that asks them” free of charge.
Meanwhile, Talbot said there is an economic argument to provide the vaccine for free for Albertaos, because it keeps healthy people, and in the workforce, and reduces medical care costs and keeps hospital beds for other lodges that need them.
And, pointing out the ongoing concerns about the provincial messaging, he argued that vaccine’s waste should have been addressed above.
“The marketing campaign was late. It was ineffective,” he said.
“You must ask what their motivation is when they know they have vaccines, they know that they need to market them to Albertans, and they do not bother to do so and then point their finger to the Albertans for not being interested in obtaining the vaccine.”
