This means about 3,300 COVID unit staff and 15,400 medical and surgical unit staff are now eligible for the vaccine.

In addition, a directive from Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has been issued that will allow doctors, nurses and pharmacists who are not Alberta Health Services employees to deliver the vaccine.

“We’ve made remarkable progress in our vaccine rollout, and our goal from the beginning has been to get doses delivered as quickly as we receive them. We want to see every appointment filled, which is why I’ve asked Alberta Health Services to start offering the vaccine to health-care workers from COVID-19 and medical or surgical units, and get them booked for appointments.”

“There are many regulated health practitioners who are authorized and have the knowledge, skill and competence to issue a vaccine. This directive will help us empower as many of our dedicated health-care workers as possible to join the broader team and help immunize Albertans.”

As of Jan. 7, 37,686 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta. This is 852.3 doses per 100,000 population.

Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.