The Alberta government’s new COVID-19 vaccination strategy has been criticized as “dangerously short sighted” by Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour. Starting now, Albertans must pre-order and pay for the vaccine themselves, a shift from previous years where it was accessible through pharmacies. Only specific high-risk groups will have their vaccination costs covered by the province.
McGowan argues that this approach reflects an “anti-vax strategy” and highlights the risk to frontline workers who lack priority access. He cites an ongoing measles outbreak in Alberta as a warning of potential consequences from reduced vaccine uptake. NDP health critic Dr. Luanne Metz also lambasts the government for being “anti-science” and limiting vaccine access, noting that other provinces provide it free of charge and widely.
The Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services defends the policy as a “responsible” approach aimed at protecting high-risk populations. However, critics fear that making the vaccine costly and less accessible will lead to decreased uptake, contradicting the government’s goals.
