‘For the love of God, please get vaccinated:’ Alberta to offer cash to people getting COVID vaccine

EDMONTON – Alberta will offer a $100 prepaid debit card to people over 18 getting the COVID-19 shot for the next month and a half.

Premier Jason Kenney announced Friday that eligible adults will collect the payout between Sept. 3 to Oct. 14.

BREAKING:

Alberta government will pay $100 to Albertans over 18 who get a COVID vaccine between today and Oct. 14#yeg #yyc #ableg #Covid19ab

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) September 3, 2021

People who get their first or second shot within that time frame can apply for their $100 prize online.

The announcement comes as Alberta’s COVID-19 case counts grow and vaccine numbers stall.

RELATED: Alberta reintroduces mask mandate, cuts back liquor service at restaurants

“If you are unvaccinated, it’s urgent that you protect yourself, and our entire community, by getting the benefit of this miracle of modern medicine, as soon as possible. If you’ve received only one dose, please, please, get the second shot. It provides additional protection. What are you waiting for?” Kenney urged.

“If you have concerns about the safety of the vaccines, please speak to your medical doctor or pharmacist, and if you just haven’t gotten around to it.

“For the love of God, please get vaccinated.”

Kenney called the fourth wave of the pandemic a crisis of the unvaccinated, with unvaccinated people accounting for over 80 per cent of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the province.

In the ICU, 91 per cent of patients are unvaccinated.

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“We have seen the Delta variant, spread widely and cause severe outcomes at much greater rates in unvaccinated adults,” he shared.

“Four out of five Alberta adults have protected themselves and helped reduce transmission by getting vaccinated. But one out of five Alberta adults have not and their choices are now jeopardizing our healthcare system.”

Alberta Health Services CEO and President Dr. Verna Yiu confirmed that ICUs are at 95 er cent capacity.

The province also announced Friday that a mask mandate was now back in effect and liquor services at restaurants and bars have to end at 10 p.m. The new rules come into effect Saturday at 8 a.m.