Alberta is expanding access to second booster doses, the province announced Tuesday. Starting Wednesday, Albertans age 18 and older can make an appointment for a second mRNA vaccine booster five or more months after receiving their first booster. Albertans can make reservations online using the Alberta Vaccine Reservation System or by calling 811. Walk-in appointments will also be available at select pharmacies, the province said in a news release. Albertans who have received a dose of the Janssen vaccine at least two months ago are also eligible for a booster dose. However, due to limited supply, you can only make an appointment at Janssen by calling 811. Expanding the availability of booster doses will give at-risk Albertans more options for increasing their protection during a period of increased community transmission, Health Minister Jason Copping said in a statement. The number of hospitalizations has decreased, but transmission remains high. The Omicron BA.5 subvariant, the dominant strain in the province, is fueling a summer outbreak of cases across the country. “As we continue to live with COVID, vaccines remain critical to reducing the risk of serious outcomes and protecting our health care system,” said Copping. “Albertans are encouraged to continue to receive their first booster and to consider their unique circumstances when making choices about their second booster.” Albertans should wait at least three months after contracting COVID-19 before getting a booster dose, the province noted. Previously, access to fourth doses in Alberta was limited to select groups, including seniors over 70 or seniors living in congregate care, First Nations, Métis and Inuit, and Albertans with certain immunosuppressive health conditions. More than 8.9 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta. The number of dead in the province from the disease is 4,632. As of July 13, 552 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, including 16 patients in intensive care. As of last week’s update, Alberta’s average PCR positivity rate over the past seven days was 18.31 percent. The province reported 1,361 new cases of COVID-19 during the week to July 11, although that number only includes those who tested positive in PCR tests, not results from rapid tests.
