The province is pushing back the launch of a centralized booking system that was supposed to help with the booking of COVID-19 vaccination appointments.
With the postponement, the platform may not launch until most Albertans have booked and received their second dose of vaccine.
On May 11, Premier Jason Kenney announced the one-stop booking system would make the rollout of second doses “quicker and easier.” It was slated to launch in June.
“Work is underway to develop a new one-stop centralized booking system that will let you book appointments at AHS clinics, pharmacies or participating physician’s offices. This will help not only roll out the COVID vaccine but flu shots and other vaccines too,” he said at the time.
Alberta Health said Tuesday that the launch of the Alberta Vaccine Booking System has been moved to later in the year “to ensure that we keep administering vaccine doses as efficiently as possible in June and July.”
“In the coming weeks, millions of Albertans will be eligible for their second doses so we don’t want to disrupt existing processes – both for Albertans and immunization providers,” said spokesperson Tom McMillan.
McMillan further said with more than 3.1 million doses administered, the current booking system works.
There is no set date for when the new platform will be released.