April 7: Pregnant Women Can Now Get Vaccinated for COVID-19 in Alberta

Alberta government has announced that all Albertans born in 2005 or earlier (aged 16 and above) with eligible underlying health conditions including pregnant women can book appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine at participating pharmacies or with Alberta Health Services (AHS) online or by calling 811 starting today.

This is part of Alberta’s vaccine rollout Phase 2B. AHS estimates that 500,000 more Albertans will be eligible for vaccination as part of Phase 2B.

Alberta says a doctor’s note or other proof of a condition is not required to receive the vaccine.

According to the AHS website, eligible conditions are:

Asplenia or dysfunction of the spleen (a missing spleen or a spleen that is no longer working)
Cancer (anyone with a new diagnosis of or treatment for all forms of cancer in the last year, except non-invasive skin cancer)
Chronic heart disease and vascular disease:
- Including: congenital heart disease, chronic heart failure, heart or kidney disease from high blood pressure, and a history of a stroke
- Not including: high blood pressure alone
Chronic kidney diseases requiring regular medical monitoring or treatment
Chronic Liver disease due to any cause (for example: cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and hemochromatosis)
Chronic neurological disease (for example: epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, MS, muscular dystrophy and dementia)
Chronic respiratory (lung) diseases:
- Including: COPD, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and severe asthma that required an asthma-related emergency department visit or hospital admission in the past year
- Not including: mild or well-controlled asthma
Diabetes requiring insulin or other anti-diabetic medication to control
Immunosuppression: a weakened immune response due to disease or treatment, including:
- anyone undergoing chemotherapy or treatment for HIV, genetic disorders of the immune system
- people receiving long-term medical treatment to control severe inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus
Pregnancy: anyone who is currently pregnant
Severe mental Illness or substance use disorder requiring a hospital stay during the past year (for example: schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders and others)
Severe obesity: a Body Mass Index of 40 kg/m2 or more
Severe or profound learning disabilities or severe developmental delay:
- Including: individuals with Down syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder and others
- Not including: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Solid organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant recipients