Fall 2024 (COVID-19 and influenza) immunization program
Starting October 1, 2024, COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will be available for residents of continuing care homes and senior supportive living accommodations through the Alberta Immunization Outreach Program.
The COVID-19 and influenza vaccines will be available to individuals six months of age and older starting October 15, 2024.
Starting on October 7, appointments from October 15 onward can be booked using several options, including online, Health Link at 811 for pharmacy or AHS clinic appointments or by directly calling a nearby pharmacy. Most pharmacies across the province will offer walk-in appointments at that time.
Alberta Health is offering a four-strain injectable standard dose influenza vaccine to Albertans six months of age and older.
Subject to local availability, high-dose vaccine may be offered to individuals 65 years of age and older and adults 18 years of age and older who are hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, CAR T-cell therapy recipients or solid organ or islet transplant candidates or recipients.
The COVID-19 vaccine will include the updated KP.2 strain which is anticipated to provide a better immune response against the SARS-CoV-2 variants currently circulating. At this time, only mRNA COVID-19 vaccines will be available in Canada as the Government of Canada is unable to procure the Novavax vaccine at this time.
2024 Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunization program
Provincially funded RSV vaccine (Abrysvo™) will be available to the following two groups of Albertans beginning this fall: - Albertans 60 years of age and older who are residents of continuing care homes or senior supportive living accommodations.
- Now available through the Alberta Outreach Immunization Program.
- Albertans 75 years of age and older who live in the community.
- Available at select pharmacies and AHS Public Health Centres starting October 21, 2024.
- To find the nearest pharmacy that has provincially funded RSV vaccine, please visit ABC Pharmacy inventory Map website.
- Appointments can be booked online, by calling Health Link at 811 or calling a participating pharmacy.
- Appointments in First Nations communities can be made by calling the local health centre.
Abrysvo™ is not provincially funded for pregnant individuals or Albertans 60 to 74 years of age who live in the community. These individuals may choose to access RSV vaccine if it is covered through private health insurance or if they want to pay out-of-pocket.
2024 Provincial Vaccine Distribution Update
At this time, Alberta Health has not been successful in contracting a distributor to ship vaccines to community medical and nurse practitioner clinics. A recent Expression of Interest (EOI) for vaccine distribution to community medical and nurse practitioner clinics across Alberta (AB-2024-07929 - Posting - Purchasing Connection) closed on September 13, 2024, and there were no submissions received. Therefore, a vendor for vaccine distribution will not be in place by October 15th for the start of the influenza and COVID vaccine program. Alberta Health continues to explore limited distribution options and solutions until a longer-term solution is in place.
We appreciate your assistance in recommending that Albertans can access immunization services through AHS public health clinics and pharmacies until this distribution disruption is resolved.
