Thread by @shandro

Today, I approved a three-step change to Alberta’s vaccine rollout to help protect residents in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and Banff areas.

These areas are being hardest hit by the third wave, yet seeing lower than average vaccine coverage. 1/7

#1: As soon as they arrive, we will redirect all doses of the Janssen vaccine, as supply allows, to the #RMWB and Banff areas.

We expect to receive about 30,000 doses soon, but are awaiting exact confirmation from Ottawa. 2/7

#2: As soon as possible, we will also lower the eligibility age for AstraZeneca & Janssen vaccines to 30+ in those areas, and the Moderna vaccine to 30+ in adjacent Indigenous communities.

This will help more people access the vaccine. All other areas remain the same. 3/7

#3: We will also be working with local partners to set up immunization clinics at RMWB-area work camps once the Janssen vaccine arrives.

This will help workers easily access the vaccine, increase uptake and reduce outbreaks. 4/7

We have committed to getting vaccines out as quickly as possible and prioritizing those who are most at risk – and these changes are part of that.

We will also keep rolling out more vaccines provincewide to protect all Albertans. 5/7

I want to thank Mayor @DonaldKScott, Chief Allan Adam of @AthabascaTC and MLAs @TanyYao, @LailaGoodridge and @MirandaRosinAB for working with us to make these important changes happen. 6/7

We will continue to prioritize protecting those who are most vulnerable to severe outcomes, and we'll keep rolling out vaccines as quickly as they arrive in Alberta.

The more doses that we receive, the more quickly we can vaccinate Albertans. 7/7