Calgary Pharmacy Suffers COVID-19 Vaccine Shortage – Calgary | The Canadian News

In the weeks leading up to Premier Jason Kenney’s announcement that new restrictions and a trial vaccination program were coming to Alberta, the owner of a Medicine Shoppe pharmacy in Calgary says he saw between 10 and 12 people each day receiving their first or second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

It has been a completely different story in the last two days.

Since Wednesday’s announcement, the Medicine Shoppe’s phone has been ringing with people looking to schedule appointments to take the hit.

Unfortunately, after the 90 or so injections to be given on Friday, the pharmacy will have exhausted its entire supply.

“We only get the opportunity to order the vaccine once a week,” said Medicine Shoppe owner and pharmacist Randy Howden.

“Our opening window for ordering comes Thursday, and we don’t get our vaccine until the following Friday.”

Howden said the timing of the provincial government’s announcement means his pharmacy, and likely many others, will not be able to keep up with the increased demand for vaccines.

An Alberta Health spokesperson said that as of Thursday there were 180,000 doses available across the province and that “almost all pharmacies that placed orders this week will receive their doses within 24 hours after the supply arrives in Alberta.”

Howden acknowledged that these are stressful times and that not everyone who has come for their injections has been happy to do so.

He said he expects customers to be patient while the pharmacy makes the necessary adjustments, and said it faces “a huge demand all of a sudden.”

The province said more than 28,000 first and second doses were administered the day after Kenney’s announcement, compared with about 9,700 the day before.

As for the government incentive program, where you can receive a $ 100 debit card for getting your vaccine, about 24,000 Albertans have already benefited from the offer.

Eligibility for the programs runs through October 14.

2:00COVID-19 vaccine bus heads to rural Alberta

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