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All Albertans who received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in May can now book an appointment for a second shot.
Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced the acceleration of the vaccine rollout at a Friday afternoon press conference. Previously, the province had said second-dose booking would open on June 28 for those who got their first jab in May.
Those who got a first dose in June can book their second once four weeks have passed.
Shandro said those who received a dose of an mRNA vaccine – Pfizer or Moderna – should wait four weeks before getting a second, while those who got AstraZeneca should wait eight weeks because studies show it is more effective with a longer interval.
The accelerated rollout comes after the province surpassed its target first-dose vaccination rate of 70 per cent of Albertans 12 and older on Thursday. Nearly all public health restrictions will be lifted on July 1 under Stage 3 of the province’s reopening plan.
More to come
