Phase 2 of Alberta flu, COVID vaccine program opens; pre-orders available for next year

More Albertans can begin booking their influenza and COVID-19 shots Monday, as the province opens Phase 2 of this year’s immunization program.

This comes after Phase 1 opened on Sept. 29, which put seniors in care facilities, pregnant people, immunocompromised individuals, healthcare workers, and other high-risk Albertans first in line for the rollouts.

Numbers provided on Alberta’s respiratory virus dashboard show 39,764 individuals were given the influenza vaccine in Phase 1; that’s about 0.8 per cent of the population.

Albertans not included in this initial phase can book at pharmacies or public health centres starting Monday.

This was the first year Alberta implemented pre-orders for vaccines. It also added a cost of approximately $100 per COVID-19 shot for those who want one but aren’t a senior in a care facility, immunocompromised, working in healthcare, or otherwise high-risk.

The shot is free in all other provinces, except Quebec.

Alberta’s government has previously said the new pre-order system is designed to reduce waste and improve vaccine planning. However, pre-ordering isn’t mandatory to get a vaccine.

Province quietly opens pre-order for 2026 vaccines

The calendar may still read 2025 for several more weeks, but Albertans are being asked to think about the 2026 respiratory illness season.

Alberta has launched pre-orders for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026-27 season as of Sept. 29, according to its website.

“Vaccines must be ordered well in advance of the fall respiratory season, as manufacturers require provinces and territories to commit to quantities early,” reads a statement from the province. “The pre-ordering tool helps forecast future vaccine needs and minimize waste, while also supporting the planning of immunization clinics by giving officials a clearer understanding of expected volumes.”

No announcement was made at the time of this launch three weeks ago.