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Alberta Opens Paid COVID-19 Pre-Order Portal With No Fee Details or Appointment Guarantee

Distribution will be limited to public health clinics, with free vaccines reserved for select high-risk groups.

Albertans who want to get the COVID-19 vaccine this year are now being forced to register online and pay the cost of the shot out of their own pocket.
A nurse delivers a COVID-19 vaccination shot at the First Nations Vaccination Clinic at the River Cree Resort and Casino, near Edmonton Tuesday April 13, 2021.
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Overview

  • Alberta’s MyHealth portal opened Aug. 11 for fall COVID-19 vaccine pre-orders, but only about 485,000 doses were procured and placing an order offers no guarantee of an appointment.
  • The government cites $135 million in wastage and a 13.7% uptake last season to justify shifting procurement to the province and limiting free coverage.
  • Officials have not announced a per-dose administrative fee, which is expected to exceed $100 based on U.S. CDC cost estimates.
  • Vaccinations will be available only at public health clinics, with free shots reserved for immunocompromised people, social assistance recipients and seniors in congregate settings.
  • Labour unions, opposition parties and health experts warn that paid access, reduced supply and restricted distribution risk depressing uptake and straining health-care resources.