Officials say the capacity of a vaccination clinic at Higdon Hall at the Medicine Hat Stampede grounds is set to triple today as it switches to "rapid flow" procedures.--News Photo Collin Gallant
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Health officials will triple the number of vaccinations done each day at Higdon Hall in Medicine Hat starting today, AHS tells the News.
Last week, the province and health authority announced they would begin operating “rapid flow vaccination centres” in cities starting April 9 in an effort to boost the program against the coronavirus.
That includes new clinics at major convention centres in Calgary and Edmonton.
The main local vaccine clinic will remain at Higdon Hall on the Medicine Hat Stampede grounds, where up to now as many as 672 doses per day have been given.
Administrators now say 2,016 doses, or 288 per hour, will be administered starting today.
“AHS has been working … to be prepared to administer large surges of vaccine in Alberta,” a statement reads, outlining co-ordination with local authorities and the province to secure large facilities.
Internal to AHS, additional administrative and “line control” staff may be added, but the statement says the same number of vaccinators should be able to accomplish the increase in capacity.
“Getting Albertans immunized plays a critical role in reducing the number of COVID-19 cases, limiting outbreaks and the burden to our healthcare system,” according to AHS.
Residents can also receive vaccine through select pharmacies
Registration for vaccine phases is now open for all residents born before 1956 or First Nations persons born before 1971, people older than 16 with certain complicating medical conditions, eligible workers in certain profession deemed essential.
Premier Jason Kenney told reporters on Monday he expects one third of Albertans to have been offered their first shot in the two-shot system by the end of May.
Clinics at the Telus Convention Centre in downtown Calgary and the Edmonton Expo Centre, formerly known as the Northlands Agricom, are said to have a capacity of 1,000 doses per hour.
