Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine shots now available to Albertans
Appointment bookings for the vaccine that targets both the original COVID-19 strain as well as the Omicron variant opened to Albertans on Wednesday.
The first doses of Moderna's Spikevax Bivalent COVID-19 vaccine as a booster dose were also expected to be administered on Wednesday.
As of 3 p.m., 7,200 appointments had been made. Alberta Health did not have the number of walk-in appointments that had been served.
According to Alberta Health, the vaccine triggers a stronger immune response and provides extra protection against both strains.
The province has what it calls an "ample supply" -- about 428,700 doses. An Alberta Health spokesperson said Alberta has access to additional supply if needed.
Appointments could be made online.
Albertans were eligible if:
- They were 18 years old;
- They had completed a primary vaccine series; and
- It had been five months since their most-recent dose or infection (for higher risk individuals, a shorter interval of three months can be considered).
Manitoba and Nova Scotia also opened bookings for the bivalent vaccine on Wednesday.
B.C. and Ontario were already taking appointments.
Health Canada authorized the shot at the beginning of the month.
The Alberta government expects rollout for minors aged 12 to 17 to begin in "late September/early October."
When influenza vaccine rollout begins in senior congregate care facilities in October, the Spikevax bivalent shot will be offered at the same time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.