Implementing a responsible COVID vaccination plan
By Lethbridge Herald on September 18, 2025.
Adriana LaGrange
For the Herald
For the first time in four years, the federal government has made the decision to no longer fund the COVID-19 vaccination in Canada. Last year, this program cost taxpayers about $74 million. If the provincial government were to replicate that program this fall, it would mean pulling that funding from other areas of our health care system – maybe that would have meant fewer surgeries, maybe fewer ICU beds, certainly it would have meant longer wait times.
Instead, Alberta is taking a smarter, more targeted approach to COVID-19 immunization—one that protects those most at risk while respecting taxpayers. With the federal government no longer supplying the vaccine at no cost. Alberta now manages its own supply. That shift demands a new level of precision and accountability.
Here’s some context: over the past two years, COVID-19 vaccine uptake has steadily declined across Alberta and the rest of the country. Last year, only 13.7% of Albertans chose to get a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s also worth noting that despite this relatively low immunization rate, hospital admissions this summer were the lowest since 2020, highlighting that the overall impact of COVID-19 has steadily decreased compared with earlier in the pandemic.
This shows that despite broad availability, demand has not matched supply—leading to significant waste. In the 2023–24 season alone, over one million doses were discarded, costing approximately $135 million. In 2024–25, another 401,000 doses went unused, amounting to over $44 million—the equivalent of hiring roughly 100 new physicians, 500 Registered Nurses, or completing more than 3,000 hip replacements.
This year, the program has been designed to meet Alberta’s needs while focusing on those most at risk. Take seniors as an example: free vaccines will be provided to Albertans aged 65 and older who receive the seniors’ benefit, as well as to individuals with underlying or immunocompromised conditions. There are roughly 790,000 seniors in Alberta. About 690,000 are eligible for a free vaccine, and we estimate around 304,000 will actually receive it based on historical uptake. In other words, nearly 87% are eligible, with a projected uptake of about 38%.
This targeted approach follows guidance from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), which recommends the vaccine only for those at higher-than-average risk. Alberta has prioritized individuals most at risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 ensuring that limited resources are directed where they will have the greatest impact—protecting lives while preserving public funds.
This fall, the program will roll out in two phases through public health clinics:
Phase 1: Albertans in the following groups will receive the vaccine free of charge:
• Residents of continuing care homes and seniors supportive living accommodations
• Home care clients
• Individuals six months and older with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems as recommended by the NACI
• Health care workers
• Individuals experiencing homelessness
• Albertans aged 65 and older receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit
Phase 2:
• All other Albertans six months and older may receive the vaccine while supplies last — an administrative fee of $100 per vaccination will apply.
Paying for vaccines is not unusual in Alberta or Canada. Several immunizations, including shingles and RSV, are publicly funded for higher-risk groups, with other eligible adults able to purchase them. Shingrix costs about $360 for the two-dose series, and the RSV vaccine about $300 for those not covered provincially. This approach ensures that those most vulnerable are protected while keeping the program sustainable.
Albertans deserve a health system that protects them—and respects their investment in it. By focusing on those at highest risk, aligning supply with actual demand, and reducing waste, we are ensuring every dose counts. This program is responsible, sustainable, and designed to safeguard both Albertans’ health and the taxpayer dollars that fund our system.
Adriana LaGrange is the Alberta Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services.
21-20
Ever heard of “herd immunity” Ms LaGrange? Clearly not , if you did, you would or should know the value of high numbers of protected persons in any one community. That people are not asking for COVID vaccines should not be a reason to justify charging those not deemed at high risk. Rather pathetic attitudes to measles vaccinations in school children is a classic example of how not to apply protection for populations – not just those deemed “high risk”. All kids are high risk, in that measles spreads incredibly fast in non immune people totally destroying the notion of “herd immunity”. Yet there is no mandatory requirement that schools require adequate protection in the form of vaccination. (Blame politics s and religious persuasion.)
LaGrange’s attitude of “targeted “ control is not one of protection for the masses.
No cost protection should be available to all – period.
So much for Danielle Smith’s election promises.
Public Health Care Guarantee – United Conservative Party of Alberta https://share.google/pwXtZq8afQitSad6K
any responsible – decent – approach to products would be to ban torturing and otherwise using sentient life when developing products.
the negs to my comment are examples of just how gross as a whole we remain. i suspect we each get what is coming to us to balance our actions, but, it sure does not seem to help those in their current throes of despair.
i wonder what degrees of each of cowardice, fear, disdain, ego, indifference and such that has one on board our ruthless and decrepit approach.
we need not be perfect, but compassion is a big helper.
i guess those in favour of creature torture should get to the front of the line should the more “advanced” beings of our universe come, at least the ones lacking compassion, and who also see “lesser” beings (like us) as things to be tortured in the named of product procurement.
Reasonable people would see the wisdom of your comments Biff. Though we disagree as to much concerning vaccinations, I agree with concern over animal subjects . For that reason alone, the negatives are clearly from the uninformed folk – “armchair quarterbacks”, contributing absolutely nothing to these forums. At least you have a “+” from myself!
thanks, j.
to be clear, i am not at all opposed to vaccinations. i appreciate you stepping up with your good conscience – not to reject medicine and safety, but to speak against our cruelty.
where i think we have not found agreement is with regard to choice. choice is ever the more important not just in regard to one’s most basic right, the right to choose with regard to body and mind; it is essential given that govts nor big corp (the latter somehow having been granted the status and rights of a person) have any right to not be beyond being questioned, scrutinised or opposed.
further because there are those that may have utter trust in entities such as politicians and corps and oligarchs does not mean all others must also have such trust. is not dissent as essential to freedom as is consent?
sorry, not meaning to go on.
i appreciate your heart and intentions, and still recall fondly the beautiful pics you have taken that the herald published. stay well!
Telling the truth is so hard for the UCP and Danielle Smith.
Public Health Care Guarantee – United Conservative Party of Alberta https://share.google/pwXtZq8afQitSad6K
Ok now, Dwayne, let’s rebuke Quebec. Moved on from the Calgary Herald and National Post to a more soft landing area. You and the other 8 will get along just fine.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization has said: All individuals (previously vaccinated and unvaccinated) 6 months of age and up would benefit from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Previously vaccinated adults 65 to 79 years of age would benefit from receiving a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine per year.
By restricting her message only to the recommendations for highly at-risk individuals, like those 80 and above, the Health Minister is deliberately fostering vaccine disinformation.
It’s sad to see a “Health” Minister boasting about restricting vaccines for shingles, RSV and Covid-19. As for her cost analysis, I hazard to guess the cost of vaccines is still less than the cost to treat people who fall ill from the diseases they prevent. This is not a current cost analysis the UCP is willing to undertake.
Of course, health care isn’t really about cost. It’s about keeping people alive and healthy. Its policies should be geared towards saving lives, not sending money to other departments.