Appointments for pediatric vaccines made in error at Alberta pharmacies
CBC
A glitch on the Alberta Health vaccination booking site has left parents scrambling to cancel and rebook pediatric COVID-19 vaccine appointments made in error.
Starting Wednesday at 8 a.m., Alberta parents and guardians were able to book appointments for children between ages five and 11, for the first time.
But the morning rush to land appointments did not go smoothly for many.
Brent Oliver made an appointment at a north Edmonton pharmacy for his 10-year-old daughter, only to find out the site would not have any pediatric shots to administer.
"I think I've probably gotten pretty used to frustration in the last year when it comes to vaccines, so this is just another one," Oliver said.
"I just worry about all the parents that show up at these vaccination appointments and their kids aren't booked. And then by the time they get back onto the ... system, it's weeks until they can actually book.
"Why can't they just get this right? They've had so many chances."
Alberta Health confirmed that four pharmacies without access to the pediatric vaccine were incorrectly listed on the booking site for children.
Spokesperson Michael Francoeur could not say how many appointments were made in error but said more detailed numbers would be available later Wednesday.
"We are aware of four pharmacies that incorrectly opened pediatric vaccine appointments early this morning," Alberta Health said in a statement to CBC News.
"These sites have been contacted and they are in the process of cancelling these appointments."
Staff at Balwin Pharmacy in north Edmonton said at least 150 appointments for the pediatric formula of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine were made in error.
Mohamed Ahmed, a pharmacist at Windermere Pharmacy in south Edmonton, said it's unclear how pharmacies like his were incorrectly added to the booking list.
He said he has received numerous phone calls from parents and had to turn a mother and her daughter away after they showed up for an appointment Wednesday morning.
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