Alberta’s first dose of the Moderna vaccine for the novel coronavirus was given Wednesday to a long-term care home resident in Medicine Hat.
In a tweet, Premier Jason Kenney shared a photo of Riverview Care Centre resident Sheila being administered the shot by a health-care worker.
“Sheila is a resident at Riverview Care Centre in Medicine Hat. She was once an avid dancer until a stroke & 2 heart attacks slowed her dance moves but couldn’t slow her spirit,” Kenney tweeted.
“Congrats Sheila!”
Alberta Health Services also tweeted a video of Sheila getting the vaccine Wednesday, where she can be heard saying, “Oh, that was easy.”
The video then jumps to another angle, where Sheila is heard saying, “Thank you, thank you” to those in the room.
Alberta announced Tuesday that 16,900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had arrived in the province and would soon be ready for distribution.
The priority for the Moderna immunizations are high-risk people living in long-term care facilities and supportive living facilities.
The first doses arrived in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Grande Prairie, Fort Saskatchewan and St. Paul.
The Moderna vaccine offers more flexibility, as it doesn’t need the same cold storage the Pfizer vaccine does, meaning it can be easily transported to facilities where they’re needed.
Residents in on-reserve congregate living facilities will also receive the Moderna vaccines, the premier said Tuesday, and doses will also be given to the Provincial Vaccine Depot to be given out in rural and remote communities.
— With files from Global News’ Emily Mertz