Alberta government faces mounting pushback to new COVID-19 vaccine policy
The Alberta government is facing intense backlash over its decision to limit access to publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines in the province. The new policy, announced on Friday, will only provide free vaccines to specific high-risk groups, such as Albertans living in care homes, group settings, receiving home care, those on social programs like AISH, and immunocompromised individuals. Seniors living in the community, pregnant Albertans, and health-care workers will now have to pay out of pocket for the vaccine, along with the rest of the population, at a cost of $110 per dose.
Dr. James Talbot, a former provincial chief medical officer of health, expressed deep sadness over the impact of this decision on vulnerable populations. He criticized the government for prioritizing those with financial means over low-income individuals and single-parent families. Premier Danielle Smith defended the move by citing the wastage of over one million doses of the vaccine, which had to be discarded due to limited shelf life after opening.
However, experts like Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta, raised concerns that Alberta was not following the latest guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). NACI recommends that all adults aged 65 and older, pregnant individuals, people with underlying health conditions, First Nations individuals, and health-care workers should receive the vaccine. Alberta’s deviation from these recommendations could lead to reduced vaccine uptake and increased hospitalizations and deaths.
Dr. Craig Jenne, a professor at the University of Calgary, echoed these concerns, emphasizing the importance of widespread vaccination in preventing severe outcomes and saving lives. The Alberta Medical Association, United Nurses of Alberta, and Health Sciences Association of Alberta have all criticized the government’s decision, calling it irresponsible and dangerous. They are urging the province to reverse the policy and provide vaccines to all high-risk groups and frontline health-care workers free of charge.
Despite the government’s claims about vaccine effectiveness and cost-saving measures, experts like Dr. Talbot argue that providing free vaccines to all Albertans is economically beneficial in the long run. By keeping people healthy and in the workforce, it reduces healthcare costs and ensures that hospital beds remain available for those in need. The lack of effective communication and marketing efforts around the vaccine has also been criticized, with experts pointing out that addressing vaccine wastage and promoting vaccination should have been a priority from the beginning.
Overall, the decision to limit access to free COVID-19 vaccines in Alberta has sparked widespread outrage and calls for immediate action to protect the health and well-being of all residents in the province.
