Vulnerable Albertans can get COVID-19 booster for free starting April 7

Older Albertans and those with underlying health conditions will be able to get a COVID-19 booster for free starting next week.

The province says participating pharmacies and Primary Care Alberta public health clinics will begin offering the shots on April 7 to eligible individuals.

Albertans eligible for a second-shot this year include:

• Adults 80 years of age and older
• Adult residents of long-term care homes and other congregate living settings for seniors
• Individuals six months of age and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised due to an underlying condition or treatment
• Adults 65 to 79 years of age with underlying medical conditions that place them at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

A three-month gap between shots is recommended.

Appointments for eligible children under 12 and their family members can be booked through Primary Care Alberta public health clinics online or by calling Health Link at 811.

Eligible Albertans aged 12 and older can book through their local pharmacy, with some locations also offering walk-in appointments. Those living in First Nation communities can access the COVID-19 vaccine at their local public health clinic.

All Albertans who are not eligible for a provincially funded dose can contact a participating community pharmacy to purchase one, where available.

In the fall, Alberta launched its first immunization campaign that didn’t include free COVID-19 doses for all Albertans. Coverage for healthcare workers was eventually added following push back from unions. The government said this move was made to limit vaccine waste.

The province’s respiratory virus dashboard says 66 cases of COVID-19 were reported from March 22 to March 28. So far this season, there have been 5,791 cases reported.