Parents and doctors continue to push back against the Alberta government’s controversial COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
The program has faced fierce and ongoing opposition since the province announced its plans earlier this year to charge the vast majority of Albertans $100 for a COVID shot.
Determining who is eligible for free vaccines has not been straightforward, and the booking process has been criticized as complicated and confusing.
In addition, Health Link (Alberta’s one-stop-shop phone number for health information) has been overwhelmed since COVID and flu shot bookings opened up to the general public on Monday, leaving some Albertans unable to arrange appointments.
“My concern is that there’s so many barriers now,” said Calgary mother Madeline Anderson.
While everyone in her family will get the free flu shot, she’s decided only her youngest, who is 11 months old, will get the COVID vaccine due to the cost.
On top of that, she spent hours on the phone Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, trying to get through on Health Link.
“I’m extremely angry,” said Anderson. “It’s really, really unfair. How can this not be intentional?”
Some people are giving up on booking: doctor
Under this year’s system, parents have to call Health Link to book COVID shots for kids under 12.
Anderson was finally able to book flu shot appointments for her children, but she had to make a separate booking for her baby’s COVID shot or they would have waited until the end of November to get in for combined appointments.
Calgary pediatrician and neonatologist Dr. Elsa Fiedrich is hearing from parents struggling to get their children vaccinated. Some, she said, are giving up.
“The families are confused. They’re frustrated because a lot of time is spent trying to get through to 811 and then essentially being hung up on,” she said.
“My concern is that this is deterring Albertans who are invested in protecting themselves, their families and their communities from doing what they can to support a health-care system that’s already in crisis and taxed going into another projected bad viral season.”
In statements shared with CBC News, Primary Care Alberta said Health Link received 24,952 calls between Monday and Wednesday from Albertans looking to book their COVID-19 vaccine, and another 3,691 calls about the flu shot.
The process appears to be further complicated by an effort to use up all the doses in pediatric multi-dose vials once they’re open.
“Each immunization call is taking longer to book than [the earlier high-risk rollout],” spokesperson Nicole Merrifield said in an email. “Family bookings for pediatric vaccinations must be booked through Health Link as our teams are working with public health to group COVID-19 vaccines so we can maximize the doses administered in the multi-dose vials.”
According to the agency, Health Link brought in all available staff, extended hours through the week, and will adjust staffing as needed.
“Likewise, we are monitoring the demand at our public health clinics across the province and opening new immunization appointments as we are able,” the statement said.
Health system costs
The Alberta Medical Association is also raising the alarm about barriers to access.
President Dr. Brian Wirzba is concerned ongoing rollout problems will lead to fewer Albertans getting vaccinated against COVID overall.
“We do know that the lower the vaccination uptake — in particular in the at-risk populations — the greater the risk that people get the diseases we’re trying to prevent,” he said.
That, he said, could result in more hospitalizations.
“We’re very worried about the ability of our acute care system to actually accommodate the surge this winter,” said Wirzba.
An analysis released by the Alberta Medical Association estimates each hospitalized COVID-19 case can cost the health system more than $34,000, based on data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information.
“Compare a single dose of vaccine at $100 against more than $34,000 per hospitalization,” Wirzba said in a letter to Alberta doctors.
“Instead of paying for one COVID hospitalization, Alberta could vaccinate about 310 people, who will then enjoy better health, productivity and quality of life, while not contributing [avoidably] to overloaded emergency rooms and in-patient facilities.”
Provincial data shows there were 3,374 COVID-19 hospitalizations during the 2024-25 respiratory virus season and 210 patients were admitted to intensive care.
The Alberta Medical Association’s model suggests a reduction in the number of Albertans vaccinated could cost the system millions of dollars. Exactly how much depends on a number of variables.
“Money invested in a well-run, efficient vaccination program saves the system money,” said Wirzba.
Alberta’s COVID-19 vaccination rates dropped from 17 per cent during the 2023-24 virus season to 14 per cent last year.
So far this season, two per cent of Albertans have received a COVID vaccine.
The Ministry for Primary and Preventative Health Services is refuting the Alberta Medical Association’s analysis.
“We have real cost-effectiveness analysis both from NACI (for Canada, the U.S., and U.K.) and from Quebec, and they reached the same conclusion: vaccination for COVID at this point is cost-effective only for those at higher risk,” press secretary Maddison McKee said in an emailed statement.
“The evidence [the National Advisory Committee on Immunization] and Quebec present is overwhelming: universal vaccination would not be cost-effective at this point.”
Quebec is also placing strict limits on who qualifies for a free COVID shot. It has, however, included all seniors in its coverage, while Alberta has not.
“We are providing publicly funded vaccinations generally in line with NACI’s current guidance. Any suggestion that we should fund universal vaccination, i.e. for people outside the higher-risk groups, simply ignores the evidence,” McKee said.
Alberta has diverged from guidance set out by NACI, which includes a strong recommendation that high-risk groups, including people over the age of 65, be vaccinated against COVID.
NACI also recommends that all other people may receive a COVID vaccine.
Alberta’s respiratory virus dashboard shows 312 people have been hospitalized due to COVID since August. Eighteen people have ended up in the intensive care unit, and there have been 27 deaths.
