Phone: 780-448-0059 Toll Free: 1-866-493-4348
Ensure your Dietitian/Nutritionist is Registered Login for Regulated Members

UPDATED: Vaccine rollout expanding to front-line health-care workers

April 12, 2021

(Scroll down to view April 14, 2021 Update to Announcement)

As you may be aware, the Premier announced on Saturday, April 10, 2021 that health care workers as outlined in Phase 2C of Alberta’s COVID-19 Immunization Program will be eligible to book their immunization appointments through Alberta Health Services or their local pharmacy.

Additional information will be provided to you early this week regarding what information you will need to provide for identification and confirmation of eligibility when you attend your appointment. This does not prohibit you from booking your appointment starting on Monday, April 12. 

Who is eligible to book their vaccinations:

  • Health care workers and associated staff who work in acute or community care settings are included in Phase 2C. These workers should be providing in-person direct patient care or support (such as reception or security).
  • Health care workers that are eligible include those under the Health Professions Act as well as those part of professional associations.
  • Students who are currently in practicum placements or who provide care through teaching clinics or labs at their training institutions are included in this phase.

Information on Alberta’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program, including links to book your vaccine, can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/covid19-vaccine.aspx.

The Alberta Government’s full announcement “Vaccine rollout expanding to front-line health-care workers” can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=77928624402E7-EB99-5CEC-767A423388DE8ADC.

The College office will provide further information by email to all regulated members when available.

Sincerely,

Doug Cook
Executive Director & Registrar
College of Dietitians of Alberta

You may also be interested in:

Alberta Health: COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A for Healthcare Practitioners (March 2021)

COVID-19 Pandemic Resources available on College website under Regulated Member Resources

UPDATE: Vaccine rollout expanding to front-line health-care workers

April 14, 2021

In follow-up to the Premier’s announcement on Saturday, April 10, 2021 that health care workers are now eligible to book appointments for immunization starting April 12, please find below some additional details on how eligibility may be confirmed at the time of appointment.

An important aspect in this phase is that to be eligible, all health care workers must be providing in-person, direct patient care. Staff who support them and also have in-person contact with patients/clients are also eligible. All eligible workers are encouraged to book their appointments as soon as possible.

Information on Alberta’s COVID-19 Vaccine Program, including links to book your vaccine, can be found at https://www.alberta.ca/covid19-vaccine.aspx.

Some health care workers will have questions about which vaccine they will receive. All health care workers in this phase are eligible for Moderna or Pfizer. Like all Albertans, health care workers between the ages of 55-64 also have the option to book an appointment for AstraZeneca.

  • Alberta Health Services (AHS) is only offering the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary or the Edmonton Expo Centre. All other AHS sites are offering Pfizer or Moderna.
  • Information regarding which pharmacies are offering AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer, is available on the Alberta Blue Cross website (https://www.ab.bluecross.ca/news/covid-19-immunization-program-information.php).

For clarity, health care workers can arrange their appointments immediately on-line or by phone. At their appointment they will need to provide both of the following:

  1. Personal identification that contains a birth date. For example, Alberta Health Care Card, Driver’s License or passport. (This is required at all immunization appointments for any Albertan); AND
  2. Proof of eligibility for this phase.

Proof of eligibility may be any one of the following:

  • Practice Permit from a regulatory college – hard copy or digital copy accessed on line or photographed and displayed on your smart phone.
  • Employee ID that can be confirmed as current.
  • Letter of employment from your employer (see template available on College website)
  • Letter of placement from your training institution or regulatory college (see template available on College website)
  • If a health care worker is self-employed and one of the above options is not available to them, they may show their practitioner or business license from a municipality.

Note: Health care workers who provide a letter of employment for support staff who have in person contact with patients/clients should use the template letter available on the College website.

Template for employers (as available on College website):

  • The template is purposefully generic to accommodate all of the occupational groups which require proof of eligibility.
  • It can be modified to suit an organization’s need (i.e., letterhead) but should clearly identify the organization, the employee’s name and job and be signed by the employer.
  • It can be used for both employees and students who are currently in practicum placements. Students not in placements are not eligible at this time. They will be eligible when they are entering into a placement, or through a future phase of the COVID-19 Immunization Program.

Other resources:

Sincerely,

Doug Cook
Executive Director & Registrar
College of Dietitians of Alberta