First doses of COVID-19 vaccine arrive in Calgary
Health-care worker immunizations are expected to begin as soon as possible
The first doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in Calgary.
Premier Jason Kenney tweeted a photo of the shipment's arrival at the Calgary International Airport on Monday night.
"A game-changing moment in the fight against the pandemic," he wrote.
"The end of this terrible time is now within sight. But we need to keep following public health guidelines and rules, now more than ever."
Alberta Health Services is expected to begin immunizations for ICU doctors and nurses, respiratory therapists and long-term care workers as soon as possible.
The first doses in Calgary will be headed to the Foothills Medical Centre and Peter Lougheed Centre.
Great news! The first 3,900 doses of the Pfizer COVID19 vaccine just arrived at <a href="https://twitter.com/FlyYYC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FlyYYC</a>. <br><br>A game-changing moment in the fight against the pandemic.<a href="https://twitter.com/AHS_media?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AHS_media</a> will begin administering the first doses to front line health care workers as soon as possible. <a href="https://t.co/hWWFWr1yHd">pic.twitter.com/hWWFWr1yHd</a>
—@jkenneyThere are currently 21,123 active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta.
The shipment is part of a national immunization program, that has been a light at the end of a tunnel for many during the pandemic.
The Government of Alberta says it anticipates it will be able to immunize up to 435,000 Albertans who are most at-risk between January and March 2021.
The province says that starting in April, the second phase of vaccine rollout will also target priority populations (eligibility for that phase hasn't yet been determined). Phase 3, beginning in fall of next year, will see vaccines available to the general Alberta population.