More than 2,000 Alberta health-care workers have received their first COVID-19 shot

EDMONTON -- Nearly half of the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine Alberta received less than one week ago have been administered.  

Health Minister Tyler Shandro said 2,148 health care workers had received their first of two shots as of Sunday morning.

He called it "remarkable progress" considering the first shipments of 3,900 doses were arrived in the province Dec. 14.

Another 25,350 doses are due in Alberta within days.

Some of those will be set aside to be given as a second shot, which is needed for the vaccine to be fully effective.

We expect another 25,350 Pfizer doses to arrive in Alberta this week.

We will not slow down our efforts to get these doses in the arms of Alberta’s critical health care workers. 2/2

— Tyler Shandro (@shandro) December 20, 2020

Alberta is vaccinating priority health-care workers first, like respiratory therapists, ICU staff and physicians, and long-term care and supported living employees.

The vaccine will be offered to more health-care workers in future weeks, as well as people most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Currently, the government estimates the second phase of vaccine rollout will happen in the spring, although it is subject to factors like vaccine availability and arrival, the chief medical officer of health has said.