Pharmacies begin ordering bivalent COVID-19 doses while Albertans wait to book
Global News
Alberta pharmacies began ordering the Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday while Albertans wait to hear about the province's rollout plan.
Pharmacies in Alberta are now able to order bivalent COVID-19 vaccine doses. But Albertans are still in the dark on when they’ll be able to book those shots.
According to documents obtained by Global News, McKesson, a pharmacy distributor in Canada, told pharmacies they could start ordering doses of the Moderna Spikevax bivalent vaccine on Tuesday.
But the memo had a bolded, underlined clause in larger print.
“Please await official notification from the province on timing of when administration can start. Please do not vaccinate until this is confirmed,” the McKesson memo stated.
“Vaccine is being distributed to pharmacies in advance in order to ensure that sufficient amounts of vaccine can be stored within the province in preparation for the next phase of the immunization plan.”
On Wednesday, the Health ministry confirmed pharmacies in the province can begin ordering bivalent doses, with an announcement on appointments for the Omicron BA.1 subvariant-specific boosters “expected shortly.”
On Monday, the province said it was still reviewing the Sept. 1 approval by Health Canada and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
“No decisions have been made yet. Once a decision has been made, the specific details around timing and availability will be shared publicly,” an Alberta Health spokesperson emailed.
