Vaccine Schedule Update: As of Monday, May 10, 2021 – all Albertans 12 years of age or older (born after 2009) are eligible to register for their COVID-19 vaccination.
Why should I get a vaccine?
COVID-19 is still a very dangerous virus. Albertans are still in the hospital and dying from COVID-19. The best protection against COVID-19 is getting a COVID-19 vaccine or “shot.” Being young, eating special foods, or exercising cannot protect you from catching COVID-19. A vaccine can.
In Alberta, the shots are free and everyone over 50 is eligible to schedule an appointment. If you need help, we will help you schedule your appointment.
The vaccines are very safe and work very well at preventing you from getting sick with COVID-19. So far, they have been used on more than 1 billion people all over the world: men and women, young adults and older adults, and people from all backgrounds, countries, and races.
The vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19 because it is a modern vaccine, and does not have any live virus inside it. Scientific studies have shown that if you get any of the COVID-19 vaccines we have in Canada, the chance of dying from COVID or getting sick enough with COVID to need a hospital stay is reduced to almost 0%. It is still possible to catch COVID after the vaccine, but it is very, very unlikely.
The more people get their vaccines, the faster we can go back to doing the things we love: being with friends and family, attending religious celebrations, travelling, and attending festivals or events. Right now, it is believed that when 75% of people in Canada have their vaccine, social distancing can end. The faster we get to 75%, the faster we can go back to normal!
Are the vaccines safe? Could the vaccine hurt me?
Many people are frightened that the vaccine will harm them: that it will change their DNA or make them unable to have children. This is simply untrue—vaccines do not work this way. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use mRNA, which is instruction manuals for your immune system. It is not the same thing as DNA, even though they sound similar. Vaccines also have no impact on hormones, so they will not impact your ability to have children.
What if I have more questions?
It is okay to have questions or worries about the vaccine. We will have some doctors hold online meetings soon, and they can answer all your questions.
If you have questions before that, please ask a doctor or nurse, or visit:
- World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/coronavirus-disease-(covid-19)-vaccines (Available in: العربية / 中文 / Français / Русский / Español)
- Health Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines.html
How do I get a vaccine?
Staff from AHC can help you schedule your appointment. Just call or email and we will help you right away.
- You can schedule a vaccine appointment on the telephone by calling 811.
- You can schedule a vaccine appointment at your local pharmacy: https://www.ab.bluecross.ca/news/covid-19-immunization-program-information.php
- You can also schedule a vaccine appointment at the Alberta Health Services (AHS) website: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/page17295.aspx
At your appointment, you will need one piece of photo ID. You can bring your PR card, passport, or driver’s license. This is to show old you are. It has nothing to do with your immigration status; the vaccine clinic staff do not have the power to communicate with immigration. You should also bring your Alberta Health Card if you have one.
How will I feel afterwards?
After your vaccine, you may have mild side effects for a day or two, like a fever, some soreness in your arm, or feeling tired. This is normal. Some people do not have any side effects, and this is normal too.
Vaccine Information in Your Language
From https://thisisourshot.ca/
Vaccine FAQ in Amharic አማርኛ
Vaccine FAQ in Arabic اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ
Vaccine FAQ in Bengali বাংলা
Vaccine FAQ in Chinese Simplified 简化字
Vaccine FAQ in Chinese Traditional 正體字/繁體字
Vaccine FAQ in French
Vaccine FAQ in English
Vaccine FAQ in Gujarati ગુજરાતી
Vaccine FAQ in Hindi हिन्दी
Vaccine FAQ in Italian Italiano
Vaccine FAQ in Korean Italiano
Vaccine FAQ in Kurdish زمانی کوردی
Vaccine FAQ in Oromo Aftaan Oromoo
Vaccine FAQ in Pashto پښتو
Vaccine FAQ in Persian فارسی
Vaccine FAQ in Polish polski
Vaccine FAQ in Portuguese português
Vaccine FAQ in Punjabi ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
Vaccine FAQ in Russian русский язык
Vaccine FAQ in Somali 𐒖𐒍 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘, 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘
Vaccine FAQ in Spanish Español
Vaccine FAQ in Swahili Kiswahili
Vaccine FAQ in Tagalog
Vaccine FAQ in Tamil தமிழ்
Vaccine FAQ in Tigrinya ትግርኛ
Vaccine FAQ in Ukrainian украї́нська мо́ва
Vaccine FAQ in Urdu اُردُو
Vaccine FAQ in Vietnamese Tiếng Việt
Watch this town hall video featuring 7 doctors from across Canada discussing FAQ’s about the COVID-19 vaccination process.