Data on COVID-19 vaccinations

Taking a booster dose increases your body's resistance to severe illness caused by COVID-19.

The COVID-19 bivalent booster program was initiated in Alberta on September 21, 2022. All Alberta residents aged 5 and up can receive a bivalent booster shot.

• • Individuals aged 12 and up who have finished their primary vaccination series (with any combination of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, Janssen, or AstraZeneca) and who have not received a dose of the bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccine since September 21, 2022 are eligible.
    • It is currently not recommended that most Albertans who received a bivalent booster dose of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech on or after September 21, 2022 receive a further booster dose.
      • A second bivalent mRNA booster dose will soon be available for Albertans at high risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 infection.
      • To find out if you qualify for a second dose of the bivalent mRNA booster, look at the "Additional bivalent booster for select groups 18" section.
    • Those who have previously received a booster dose of a monovalent vaccine manufactured by Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Novavax, or Janssen are qualified to receive a single dose of a bivalent mRNA vaccine at the end of the recommended dose interval.
      • Refusing this bivalent booster dose precludes receiving any other vaccine boosters in the future.
  • Booking windows:
    • COVID-19 infection or vaccination within the past 6 months is not acceptable.
    • An improved immune response against COVID-19 infection brought on by a longer time frame is predicted to be more durable.
  • To schedule an appointment, go online (a pharmacy or an AHS clinic are good options) or dial 811 for Health Link. First Nations neighborhoods also have access to clinics.
    • Walk-in appointments are also welcome at many pharmacies. Find a pharmacy near you if yours isn't on the list, or get in touch with them directly if they are.  
    • Those interested can also get COVID-19 vaccines by contacting some community health centers.
  • Advice on Vaccines:
    • A more robust immune response is elicited by the bivalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, and the viruses Omicron and the original SARS-CoV-2 are better protected against.
    • That the BA It's a 4/5 tie, and the BA One bivalent vaccine offers protection against many different strains in circulation.
• • Eligible individuals are those who received a bivalent booster dose on or after September 21, 2022 and are at higher risk for severe outcomes, such as:
    • Seniors in Alberta (as of April 3, 2023)
    • Adults (18+) who will be residing in nursing homes and other forms of congregate care housing beginning the week of March 20, 2023
    • Immunocompromised adults (as of April 3, 2023) will include those 18 and older with one of the following conditions.
      • Patients treated with chimeric antigen receptor T cells
      • Primary immunodeficiency patients (such as those with DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome) who are moderately or severely affected.
      • People who have advanced stages of HIV infection or AIDS who have not yet received treatment.
      • Anti-B cell therapies, high-dose systemic corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, and other biologic agents are all examples of immunosuppressive treatments.
      • Patients who have received a transplant, whether it be a solid organ or a hematopoietic stem cell,
      • People who have chronic kidney disease and are on dialysis regularly
      • Patients undergoing ongoing cancer treatment (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies), as opposed to those undergoing only hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, or surgery
      • Rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, and methotrexate are some of the medications used to treat autoimmune diseases.
  • Booking windows:
    • At least 6 months must have passed since the last COVID-19 infection or vaccination. A stronger immune response against COVID-19 infection is induced by a longer interval, and this response is predicted to persist for a longer time.
    • Residents of long-term care facilities and other congregate care living settings will be allowed to administer the additional bivalent booster dose to as many people as possible in a shorter interval of at least 3 calendar months between the previous bivalent booster dose (or infection) and the additional bivalent booster dose. a timely manner For all other groups that qualify, a shorter time frame is not allowed.
    • Patients who have undergone a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) or who have been treated with CAR T-cell therapy should discuss the optimal COVID-19 vaccination schedule with their doctor.
  • Starting on April 3, 2023, you can either call Health Link at 811 or schedule an appointment online (a pharmacy or an AHS clinic are both good options). There are also clinics available in First Nations settlements.
    • Some drugstores even offer walk-in consultations. Find a pharmacy near you if yours isn't on the list, or get in touch with them directly if they are.
    • COVID-19 vaccines are also available through some community medical clinics, which can be contacted directly.
• • Eligible participants include kids aged 5-11 who:
    • have finished their primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine but have not yet received a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech original (monovalent) vaccine
    • patients with one of the following conditions who have received a boost dose of the original (monovalent) Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine:
      • Conditions listed in "Doses for immunocompromised individuals" necessitating an additional primary series dose of COVID-19 vaccine
      • chronic diseases of the heart and blood vessels
      • persistent neurologic dysfunction
      • Impairments in cognitive or physical development, such as those seen in Down syndrome
      • Patients who have received a solid organ, bone marrow, or stem cell transplant
  • Booking windows:
    • At least 6 months must have passed since the last COVID-19 infection or vaccination.
    • More time between vaccinations and exposure to COVID-19 results in a stronger immune response and longer protection.
  • To schedule an appointment, visit the AHS website or call Health Link at 811. Many Native American settlements have access to clinics as well.
  • Advice on Vaccines:
    • Pfizer and BioNTech's bivalent booster vaccine produces a more robust immune response and affords supplementary defense against both the original SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron BA viruses. 4/BA 5
    • Pfizer-BioNTech BA is currently available in a supply 4/BA Booster doses of the 5 bivalent vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11 are scarce. Over the next few months, Alberta Health will have a larger supply of this vaccine.
    • Children aged 5-11 who were given the Moderna original vaccine as part of a primary series are eligible to receive a Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent booster dose.
    • Vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and the mixed-series all provide substantial safety.
• • Persons aged 12 and up who have received a primary series of any licensed COVID-19 vaccine but cannot receive or choose not to receive a booster dose of bivalent mRNA (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine due to an allergy or other medical condition are eligible.
    • In order to be eligible for a one-time bivalent mRNA COVID-19 booster dose, you must have received a Novavax booster dose on or after September 21, 2022. Refusing this bivalent booster dose precludes receiving any other vaccine boosters in the future.
  • Booking windows:
    • No recent infection with COVID-19 or dose within the past 6 months
    • More time between vaccinations and exposure to COVID-19 results in a stronger immune response and longer protection.
  • Call 811 to make an appointment with Health Link.
• • Adults who are at least 18 years old and who have received a primary dose of a Janssen vaccine but cannot or will not receive a booster dose of bivalent mRNA (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) and/or Novavax due to medical or religious reasons are eligible.
    • A single administration of bivalent mRNA COVID-19 is available to those who have previously received a booster dose from Janssen. You will not be able to receive any more Janssen if you decide against receiving this bivalent booster dose.
  • Appointments should be scheduled no sooner than 2 months after the first Janssen dose or the most recent COVID-19 infection.
  • Reservations can be made by calling 811 and speaking with a Health Link representative.

• Because their immune systems react differently to vaccines than those without these conditions, these people require additional protection.

  • All patients with one of the following immune system disorders require a booster dose during the first round of treatment.
  • At least 6 months must have passed since the previous dose or the most recent COVID-19 infection before a person 18 years of age or older with an immunocompromising condition is eligible to receive a second bivalent booster dose beginning on April 3, 2023.
  • Children and adolescents aged 5-11 years who have received a Pfizer-BioNTech original (monovalent) booster are eligible to receive a single bivalent booster dose.

  Immunocompromised states that qualify

  • Patients who have undergone a CAR T-cell therapy procedure
  • Primary immunodeficiency patients (such as those with DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome) who are moderately or severely affected.
  • People with advanced HIV infection or AIDS who have not received treatment
  • Persons who have been given immunosuppressive treatments (such as anti-B cell therapies, high-dose systemic corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, and other biologic agents)
  • Patients who have received a transplant, whether it be a solid organ or a hematopoietic stem cell,
  • Patients on dialysis for chronic kidney disease
  • Patients currently undergoing treatment for cancer (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapies) as opposed to those who have completed all of their initial treatments (hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, or surgery).
  • People who take rituximab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, or methotrexate for autoimmune diseases
• • Those who received their primary vaccination somewhere other than Alberta can have their immunity reevaluated and receive booster shots if necessary.
  • Dosage records in their original form should be brought to the consultation.
  • If you have any further inquiries regarding Health Link, please dial 811.