Most Albertans will have to pay for COVID-19 shots starting this fall, province says

Alberta's government says residents who are not immunocompromised or on social programs will soon have to pay to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The government says that since provinces began taking on responsibility for procuring the shots, it wants to cut down on waste.

It says an estimated one million COVID-19 vaccine doses, or just over half of Alberta's supply, were not used during the 2023-24 respiratory virus season.

It says that means $135 million worth of shots were wasted.

The government says it hasn't yet determined how much Albertans would pay, but an estimated cost to procure each vaccine is $110.

The province says it has ordered just under 500,000 of the vaccines for the fall and some of the estimated $49 million cost would be covered through taxpayers paying for their shots.

It says Albertans can "signal their intent" to receive the vaccine starting in August, with bookings to begin in October.

NDP health critic Sarah Hoffman said the province is taking the wrong approach.

"It's cruel for the UCP government to put further financial burdens on Albertans who want to protect their health and their loved ones and not get COVID," said Hoffman in a statement. 

"It's dangerous, it's callous, it's anti-science, and it's anti-public health."

In an email to CBC News, Nicholas Janveau with the Public Health Agency of Canada said provinces and territories are ultimately responsible for determining all aspects of their immunization programs.

He said that while the federal National Advisory Committee of Immunization can make recommendations regarding publicly funded vaccine programs at a provincial level, they are only advisory.

"Provincial and territorial governments consider NACI advice, but determine their vaccination program and policies (e.g., which vaccines are publicly funded vs. paid for by the individual, schedules, vaccine eligibility, etc.) based on their unique circumstances (e.g., epidemiology)."