Alberta parents still struggling to book COVID shots for kids as doctors raise alarm about access

Parents and doctors continue to push back against the Alberta government’s controversial COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

The program has faced fierce and ongoing opposition since the province announced its plans earlier this year to charge the vast majority of Albertans $100 for a COVID shot.

Determining who is eligible for free vaccines has not been straightforward, and the booking process has been criticized as complicated and confusing.

In addition, Health Link (Alberta's one-stop-shop phone number for health information) has been overwhelmed since COVID and flu shot bookings opened up to the general public on Monday, leaving some Albertans unable to arrange appointments.

“My concern is that there’s so many barriers now,” said Calgary mother Madeline Anderson.

While everyone in her family will get the free flu shot, she’s decided only her youngest, who is 11 months old, will get the COVID vaccine due to the cost.

On top of that, she spent hours on the phone Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, trying to get through on Health Link.

"I'm extremely angry,” said Anderson. "It's really, really unfair. How can this not be intentional?"

Under this year’s system, parents have to call Health Link to book COVID shots for kids under 12.

Anderson was finally able to book flu shot appointments for her children, but she had to make a separate booking for her baby’s COVID shot or they would have waited until the end of November to get in for combined appointments.

Calgary pediatrician and neonatologist Dr. Elsa Fiedrich is hearing from parents struggling to get their children vaccinated. Some, she said, are giving up.

“The families are confused. They’re frustrated because a lot of time is spent trying to get through to 811 and then essentially being hung up on,” she said.

"My concern is that this is deterring Albertans who are invested in protecting themselves, their families and their communities from doing what they can to support a health-care system that’s already in crisis and taxed going into another projected bad viral season.”

In statements shared with CBC News, Primary Care Alberta said Health Link received 24,952 calls between Monday and Wednesday from Albertans looking to book their COVID-19 vaccine, and another 3,691 calls about the flu shot.