Wondering about Alberta's plans for flu and COVID-19 shots? You're not alone

Doctors are warning a messaging void about Alberta's fall immunization campaign could lead to more COVID-19 and flu infections — and increased pressure on hospitals — and they're calling on the province to immediately communicate details of the plan.

The Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association says it's concerned about the lack of information provided by the Alberta government to health-care workers and the public, on the rollout of COVID-19 and flu shots.

The province is sharing very little about its plans other than it expects to launch on Oct. 15.

"There has been no messaging. And that's what concerns us," said Dr. Steve Fisher, an ER physician in Edmonton.

He said information is typically shared by now.

"There should be messaging out there in terms of where to expect the supply to be available, where to accrue supply for clinics and health-care workers [and] where to book your appointments. And we're just not seeing any of that," said Fisher.

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"So it worries us given some of the tendencies we've seen of this current administration, whether they're going to be forthcoming at all and in what capacity."

Given the lack of information, the staff association said there could be delays in getting shots into arms before flu and COVID-19 really surge.

The group warned delays could lead to increased COVID and flu infections, hospitalizations and deaths.

"I worry that the efforts are going to lag, and because of that mass vaccination isn't going to happen until well into the expected rise towards the end of October," he said, adding it takes one to two weeks for the protection offered by vaccines to take effect.

"We worry we're going to miss the boat and the strain is going to be felt in the acute care settings."

The Edmonton staff association is demanding the province immediately release information on where and when people can get the vaccines and provide clear messaging on the importance of vaccination.

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"Every day these campaigns are delayed will also increase the stress on the system. We can expect to see emergency wait times increase, ICU and hospital bed occupancy rise and eventually cancellations of elective surgeries," said a press release from the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association.

When asked about the COVID and flu vaccine rollout at a news conference on Wednesday, Health Minister Adriana LaGrange had few details to share.

"We still anticipate being on target for October 15th for the flu and other vaccines — the respiratory vaccines — to be in Alberta. And we will be communicating more on that very, very soon," she said.

At that time, she stated that the province was still waiting for Health Canada to confirm its approval of all the vaccines when, in fact, the regulator had already given the green light to Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax (which will not be available in Alberta). The Pfizer announcement, the last of the vaccines to be approved, came on Tuesday.

In response to the staff association concerns, a spokesperson from the health minister's office said doses are starting to arrive in the province.

"Protecting and enhancing the health and well-being of individuals is a top priority for Alberta's government. Fall respiratory virus vaccines are starting to arrive in the province and policy information is starting to be shared with immunizing stakeholders to support program implementation," an emailed statement said.

"We will have more to say on Alberta's immunization program in the coming weeks."