EDMONTON, AB – Firefighters and front-line police officers are among those eligible to book COVID-19 vaccinations as of Friday.
The province is moving to wrap up Phase 2 of its vaccine rollout by including a few more demographics which will qualify more than 2.8 million Albertans in all, over the first two phases.
Under Phase 2C and Phase 2D, police, firefighters, provincial sheriffs, corrections officers and Canadian Border Security Agency staff are eligible.
All Albertans over 50 will be eligible as will First Nations, Metis and Inuit people between the ages of 35 and 49.
Vulnerable populations and those who support them are also included in this phase of the rollout.
Starting April 30, the following groups can begin booking appointments at participating pharmacies or Alberta Health Services (AHS) clinics:
- Staff and residents who provide care or support to Albertans in facilities previously not offered immunization, including front-line disability workers and workers in group homes, mental health or addiction treatment, children and youth group care, and campus-based care like secure services and other types of licensed supportive living.
- Caregivers of Albertans who are most at risk of severe outcomes, including:
- Designated family support people of those individuals in long-term care, designated supportive living and licensed supportive living facilities.
- Household contacts and caregivers to those who have profoundly immunocompromised conditions.
- Parents or guardians of children under 12 who have an eligible chronic condition (Phase 2B) but are unable to receive vaccine due to age.
- Front-line policing and provincial sheriffs who interact with residents at shelters, correctional facilities and remand centres, Canadian Border Security Agency staff and firefighters.
- Albertans between the ages of 50 and 64.
- First Nations, Métis and Inuit between the ages of 35 and 49.
These Albertans will be able to book appointments through the AHS online booking tool, 811 or participating pharmacies province-wide. AHS will contact eligible home care individuals for their immunizations, or individuals can call 811 to discuss options.
Proof of eligibility is required for immunization of staff of eligible facilities and designated support persons. This will include:
- For staff of congregate facilities, proof of employment (such as a letter from their employer).
- For designated family support persons, a letter from the congregate living facility (e.g., group home, specialty schools, etc.) is required.
- An honour system approach will be used for household contacts of profoundly immunocompromised individuals and children under 12 with high-risk medical conditions.
Details about Phase 3 are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.