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A P R I L 2021 ME S S E NG E R
Will I be able to receive vaccine from my physician or community pharmacy? Not at this time. Currently, the COVID-19 vaccine supply is very limited and the current vaccines have unique storage and handling requirements that prevent widespread distribution to multiple providers. Once there is a vaccine supply to support wide spread distribution to multiple providers such as physicians or community pharmacists, those health practitioners who can comply with the Immunization Regulation and who have the infrastructure in place could participate in the COVID-19 Immunization Program. What will clinics do to protect clients and healthcare workers from COVID-19 during immunization? All healthcare providers follow guidelines to protect you and themselves from COVID-19. This includes: • Screening clients and staff for illness and exposure to COVID-19; • Setting up the clinic and using an appointment-based system to make sure that everyone can keep physical distance; • Enhanced environmental cleaning; • Using personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks; and • Requiring hand washing or the use of hand sanitizer when clients arrive. Will I have to pay for the vaccine? If I don’t want to wait to be included in the populations being offered the vaccine, can I buy the vaccine privately? No. The vaccine will be available to eligible Albertans at no additional charge. There is no vaccine available for private purchase at this time. Will I get to choose which vaccine I receive? No. To stop the spread of COVID-19, we all need to be immunized as soon as we are eligible to receive COVID19 vaccine which means accepting the first vaccine offered. Health Canada has completed thorough reviews of the data from the clinical trials and of the manufacturing processes. This review process allowed Health Canada to confirm that there are no significant safety concerns and that the vaccines protect against disease. Health Canada would not approve a vaccine if they determined the efficacy to be insufficient to protect against disease. If different vaccines are offered to different groups in the future, the decision to offer one product over another is deliberate, and is made based on the scientific evidence and supply available at the time. POST-IMMUNIZATION Will I have to continue to follow public health measures if I get immunized? Yes. Based on recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), Alberta Health advises that all individuals, including those immunized with COVID-19 vaccine, should continue to follow public health measures for prevention and control of COVID-19 infection and transmission. This includes masking when in public, maintaining physical distancing, practicing diligent hand hygiene, and staying home when sick. The Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines require two doses, three to six weeks apart. It takes time for your body to build up an immune response after receiving the vaccine. High efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19 disease is achieved 1-2 weeks after the second dose.
O u r L a n d . O u r C u l t u r e . O u r F u t u r e .
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