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Low demand for booster as Alberta's COVID-19 vaccine eligibility expands

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Albertans aged 18 and older can officially book a fourth shot to protect against the COVID-19 virus, but demand for the mRNA vaccine has been low according to local pharmacists. 

CTV News contacted several pharmacies in the Calgary area and discovered that most had vaccinated 10 or fewer people Wednesday morning, the first day of expanded eligibility.

Fausta Charlong, co-owner of Penny Fausta Pharmacy, says her northwest Calgary site is accepting walk-in appointments, but demand for the vaccine has dipped.

"Definitely, as time has gone on, we have not had to order as much vaccine or supplies," said Charlong. "We've not had the phone calls and we had some calls yesterday and this morning but it's been very manageable.

"They're available. There is lots of stock. I think anybody who wants that second booster – which is the fourth dose – can come and get it. See your pharmacist or call AHS because there's lots and nobody has to go without."

The vaccine is available for adults who received their third vaccine at least five months ago by using the online vaccine booking system, calling 811 or checking availability at a local pharmacy.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, recommends that those eligible also wait at least three months after a COVID-19 infection before getting a booster dose.

Walter Krancevic was amongst the Calgarians who received the vaccine first thing Wednesday morning and says the process was very simple.

"It was very straightforward to just walk in, we heard the vaccine was available, so we popped on down and got it done in about 10 to 15 minutes," he said.

"I mean, you want to be as safe as possible, you want to mitigate risk and vaccines are the easiest, most effective way of doing that so why not?"

According to Alberta Health, the province has ample supply of the COVID-19 vaccine and has only seen about 27,000 doses or 0.23 per cent of all vaccines received to date, expire on the shelf.  

"Manufacturers continually assess their product and extend expiry dates as ongoing reviews of stability data become available," read a statement from Charity Wallace, assistant director of communications for Alberta Health.

"Some vaccine wastage due to expiry is expected and, at this time, we have no concerns about vaccine supply expiring in Alberta."

According to the province, the highly transmissible Omicron BA.5 variant is currently the most common strain of the virus that is causing COVID-19 cases in Alberta. 

Dr. Deena Hinshaw is scheduled to provide a further update on Wednesday afternoon, but previously said the additional shot is "of the most benefit" to those at high risk.

"I urge all Albertans who have not already done so to access their first booster dose to help lower their risk of infection and severe outcomes and to carefully consider their own risk factors when making choices about when to get a second booster of COVID-19 vaccine," Hinshaw said.  

ALBERTA’S VACCINATION RATE IS SECOND LOWEST IN CANADA

Vaccination against COVID-19 remains the most effective protection against hospitalization and death from the virus according to infectious disease experts, but many Albertans have not elected to get their first booster dose.

Slightly less than half of all Canadians have at least three doses of COVID vaccine, according to Health Canada data.

Alberta's rate is the second lowest in the country at just 38 per cent of the overall population. When it comes to those 18 and older, the province ranks last, with about 47 per cent of adults covered with three doses.

According to a recent poll released this week from the Angus Reid Institute, Albertans are least willing to get a booster dose with only 31 per cent of respondents saying they would get one. 

The poll shows that men under the age of 55 tend to be the least willing to have more vaccine doses. 

Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, says those numbers point to COVID fatigue and a more relaxed feeling amongst Canadians during the summer months.

"It’s been three summers now worth of data to look back on and it's certainly the case that in the summertime, we do see higher numbers of people who are a little bit checked out on COVID," explained Kurl.

"People are trying to enjoy their lives a little bit, understandably, and so traditionally in summer of 2020 and summer of 2021 concerns about contracting COVID, the level of engagement or news they were consuming about COVID was far less than it was through the fall, winter and spring."

The province of Alberta is expected to provide updated COVID-19 information Wednesday afternoon. As of the last update on July 13, there were 552 people hospitalized in the province due to the virus, with 16 of those patients requiring intensive care.

Alberta's PCR positivity rate average for the past seven days was 18.31 per cent, while the province reported 1,361 new cases over the week up to July 11. That number only includes PCR testing and does not reflect results from rapid tests. 

Wastewater sample data from University of Calgary researchers is also set to be released later Wednesday afternoon. Recent data has shown an uptick in the presence of COVID after a decline in recent months as experts warn of a seventh wave of the virus.

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