We spoke with @Lauren_Global about vax wastage in AB. 10% of doses have expired or gone unused — over 700k 💉. Vax equity is critical but it won't be achieved by tossing doses. We need a booster plan like other provinces to reduce wastage AND a better global equity strategy. 1/3 Although it appears that we have 1.1m unused doses in Alberta, once wastage is subtracted there are actually only just under 400k at pharmacies and AHS sites (75% of which is Pfizer). 2/3

Here’s what we know:
🎉 Multiple sources say Health Canada will approve vax for 5-11YOs on Friday
🎉 AHS and Alberta Health are working on a plan
🎉 You can pre-register your kids in the central booking system to make booking faster: bookvaccine.alberta.ca/vaccine/s/
#COVID19AB [1/3] Here’s what we don’t know:
🤔 When shots will actually start going in arms
🤔 If it’ll be by birth year (as with previous eligibility)
🤔 Whether kids will be able to get their shot at a pharmacy
🤔 Timeline for under 5YOs
[2/3]

And requested in written form from the @PoPAlberta stream today, what can we, as individuals frustrated by the lack of systemic efforts, do to help people get vaccinated? Another thread! #COVID19AB (1/5) At this point, it’s a one-to-one process with the unvaccinated people in our lives.

We cannot scold them, we cannot shame them, we cannot condescend to them. We have to truly be willing to listen. (2/5)

Following up on two things I said I'd share during the @PopAlberta panel—reliable sources of information, and what individuals can be doing to help people get vaccinated. First, reliable resources! (1/6) #COVID19AB

(You can also watch the panel here: ) Look for information that's explicitly targeted to the people you are trying to support—there are many reasons for vaccine hesitancy and many types of vaccine information, and you want your information to be relevant to them. (2/6)

Well what do we have here? It’s a bright and shiny new Covid-19 Vaccine booking guide for the new central booking system! Please send this to all the friends and family in your life who have been putting off getting vaccinated. #abvax #Covid19AB 🧵 docs.google.com/document/d/1uA…

Here we go again, Alberta. Our cases are out of control and we have minimal public health restrictions to right our way. It’s time to buckle down and implement the strategies that we know make a difference. Here’s a reminder of how we can protect ourselves! #abvax #Covid19AB 1. Shrink your social circle. Covid can only spread from person to person, so if you have fewer exposures to people the less chance you have of getting and spreading the virus. We work and go to school so it isn’t always possible, but mitigate social gatherings wherever possible.

Let’s talk about disparity in vaccine rate and the factors contributing to those disparities! We know quite a lot about who is and isn’t getting vaccinated in Alberta, which is going to help us figure out how to get more people vaccinated. #COVID19AB [1/16] Right now, there’s a clear lag in the 20-29YO age groups, especially men. And we’re already hearing from people in that group who booked after hearing about the lottery—we are anticipating this to be the most effective demographic for the lottery incentive. [2/16]

In the spirit of @jkenney encouraging people to "politely challenge" the misinformation around vaccines, three quick rebuttals to some of the most common ones for you! #abvax #COVID19AB [1/4] If people think vaccines were too rushed:

They weren’t starting from scratch—much of the groundwork with spike proteins was done during the SARS outbreak in 2003 then continued with MERS, but MERS spread slowed before the research reached the final stages. [2/4]

2:30PM QUEUE FOR SECOND DOSES FOR THOSE WHO GOT THEIR FIRST DOSE IN APRIL IS A GO.

A few reminders in anticipation. #abvax #COVID19AB [1/6] If you CAN join the queue at 2:30PM, you’ll need to be able to have the tab open for about an hour until they launch it. It’ll tell you how many people are ahead of you in line and will say “The line is paused.” That just means they aren’t letting people in yet. [2/6]

168 walk-ins for first doses today at the Expo Centre in #yeg, where max vax capacity is in the thousands, is inexcusable. We’re hearing that the Telus walk-in in #yyc, with space for 2000 walk-ins today, had even fewer than Expo. #COVID19AB #abvax [1/6] If there is a viable explanation for this that doesn’t involve sacrificing the health and safety of vulnerable people to try to meet that first dose target in time for the Stampede, we’re honestly not sure what it is. [2/6]

Walk-in clinics for June 10 - FIRST DOSE ONLY
Brooks - Kinsmen Hall 9-3
Calgary - Telus Convention 8:20-7:20
Drumheller Fast Track Site 4-7:30
Edmonton Expo - 12:30-10
Ft McMurray - MacDonald Island Park 9:30-3:30
Grande Prairie - Montrose Cultural Centre 9-4
(1/3) #abvax Walk-in clinics for June 10 - FIRST DOSE ONLY continued
High Level Native Friendship Centre 1-6:30
Magrath Community Health Centre 9-3
Raymond Health Centre 9-3
Red Deer Westerner Exhibition Hall 10-3
Stettler Fast Track Site 4-7:30
(2/3) #abvax

We know anxiety and uncertainty is high around second doses right now, especially given the number of other provinces who have updated their guidelines and expected gap between doses. Here’s a quick rundown of what we know. #abvax #COVID19AB We’re expecting it to be harder to get an appointment once 2nd doses open, so tell *everyone* you know who’s been stalling for no real reason to get their first shot ASAP. In most of the province they can get an appointment today or over the weekend!

Edmonton:
The Grange
Heritage
Meadowlark
Coliseum
Namao Centre
Bonnie Doon
Capilano
Westmount
Southgate
Lewis Estates
Riverbend Square
Northgate
Abbottsfield Mall
Terra Losa
#abvax (1/4) Safeway/Sobeys Appointments for tomorrow 🚨 (pharmacyappointments.ca)
Calgary:
Millrise
Silverado
Tuscany Blvd
Woodbine
Downtown
Castleridge
Mission
Cranston
Forest Lawn
Aspen Landing
Ogden
Shawnessy
South Trail crossing
Legacy
#abvax (2/4)

Kenney said they wished they could have made 2nd doses more available and need to wait for 1st dose demand to decline.

Unbooked AHS appts in #YYC: 2987. Safeway/Walmart/Co-op unbooked appts in #YYC: 2078.

Thousands more at other pharmacies and around the province. #COVID19AB Quebec, Manitoba, BC, Saskatchewan have all moved the second dose timeline up to give second doses earlier. We have the doses. We have the appointments. What are we waiting for? We're wasting weeks of time that could be used for better protection. #COVID19AB #abvax

Welcome to Vaccine Barrier Busting, a collective community effort to help take down some of the barriers preventing our fellow Albertans from accessing vaccines. The first of however many it takes in a series! 1/9 #COVID19AB #abvax Our first step: a bit of a mindset shift. It is so, so hard not to feel like well, if they really wanted a vaccine they could have gotten one by now, why should I have to wait for my second dose while others are dragging their feet in booking an appointment. 2/9

Vaccine round up for appointments available today through the weekend:

Walmart Camrose
Walmart Cold Lake
Walmart Edmonton Meadowlark
Walmart Edmonton Northgate
Walmart Edmonton W
Walmart Edmonton E
Walmart Edson
Walmart Fort McMurray
Walmart Hinton
Walmart Leduc
#abvax 1/4 Walmart Lethbridge N
Walmart Lethbridge S
Walmart Peace River
Walmart Pincher Creek
Walmart Red Deer N
Walmart Red Deer S
Safeway Brooks
Safeway Callingwood (Yeg)
Safeway Camrose
Safeway Division Ave (Med Hat)
Safeway Fairway Plaza (Lethbridge)
#abvax 2/4

According to the poll we did a few days ago, 99% of our Twitter followers have either had their first dose or are scheduled for it. WE LOVE THIS. We’re so glad we could help make that happen. And now we need your help. 1/4 #abvax #COVID19AB We hear a lot about vaccine hesitancy, but for a *lot* of people, it’s not vaccine hesitancy that’s keeping them from their first dose, it’s vaccine *barriers.* Some of those barriers are systemic, and we’ll be boosting opportunities to advocate to bring those down. 2/4

While we know that #yeg has incredible social agencies, today we learned some of the ways they have been working on getting vaccines for those that are more vulnerable, living in tenuous situations, provisionally accommodated, and anyone experiencing homelessness. #abvax Boyle McCauley Health Centre (@BMHC_HealthCare) has been doing many vaccinations on a drop-in basis for Edmonton’s vulnerable populations, and other shelters are arranging transportation to BMHC for anyone wanting to get their vaccine. #abvax