Due to a lack of incoming supply, the Alberta government has paused the delivery of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for first-dose recipients.
Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Tuesday that the remaining supply will be saved for those who either cannot receive an mRNA vaccine or who require a second dose of AstraZeneca by the beginning of June. More than 255,000 Albertans have received a first dose of the vaccine.
The province is now receiving more than 230,000 doses weekly of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, said Premier Jason Kenney on Tuesday.
"Our incoming vaccine supply, which earlier this year was delayed and unpredictable, has finally stabilized, and the results have been remarkable," Kenney said.
More than 328,000 people are booked to get their shot in the next week, he added, and the province is on track to reach 2 million doses of vaccine administered by Wednesday.
"These moments give us a brief glimpse towards the exit and the end of this pandemic and the return to normal life," Kenney said.
Kenney said Alberta's vaccine rollout results are promising, with a dramatic decrease in the most severe COVID-19 outcomes. During the second wave, he noted, the average number of people who were dying daily from the virus was 18. Since April, that average has dropped to three.
New booking system coming
The province will be launching a new centralized booking system that allows Albertans to book vaccine appointments through AHS, pharmacies, and participating medical offices. This new system will be launching next month and will be used for not only COVID vaccines but others as well.
Today, Alberta added 1,449 new cases and completed about 11,800 tests with a positivity rate of 12.7 per cent.
Hinshaw said there are some positive signs that transmission may be starting to slow but warned that our positivity rate is still very high.
Currently, there are 705 people in hospital being treated for COVID-19 and 163 in the ICU. Three more Albertans have died within the last 24 hours.
On Tuesday, St. Albert reported five new COVID cases, while 28 more people recovered, bringing the city's active case count down to 197.
Sturgeon County added four new cases, with 11 more people recovering. This brings the county's active case count down to 89.
Morinville has 32 active cases, having recorded one new case in the last 24 hours and has seen three new recoveries.
