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AHS to close 2 rapid-flow COVID-19 vaccine clinics by end of July

Click to play video: 'COVID-19: Epidemiologists say Alberta may be hitting a wall when it comes to vaccinations'
COVID-19: Epidemiologists say Alberta may be hitting a wall when it comes to vaccinations
Epidemiologists say Alberta may have hit a wall when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations. First doses have been crawling since the province announced it was lifting nearly all public health measures on July 1. Julia Wong reports on how this may not bode well for the province – Jul 19, 2021

The rapid-flow COVID-19 immunization clinics in Edmonton and Calgary will be closed by the end of July, with the focus shifting to smaller, community-based sites, Alberta Health Services announced Wednesday.

The Edmonton Expo Centre location will close at 8 p.m. on July 29, while the Telus Convention Centre site in Calgary will close at 8 p.m. on July 30.

The move is being made to ensure staff are being utilized where they’re most needed, AHS said.

Since opening, the Edmonton site provided 143,707 immunizations, while more than 400,000 doses were administered at the Calgary site.

Click to play video: 'Edmonton clinic takes unique approach to encourage COVID-19 vaccine uptake'
Edmonton clinic takes unique approach to encourage COVID-19 vaccine uptake

Appointments are still available to be made at a number of sites in both cities, including public health centres, pharmacies and doctors’ offices. Appointments can be booked by calling 811 or online.

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“COVID-19 case numbers are significantly lower throughout the province,” the health authority said in a news release.

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“Demand for immunization continues; however, rapid flow clinics are no longer needed given the increasing percentage of the immunized population.”

On Monday, the province announced more than five million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in Alberta. As of Tuesday’s update, 74.8 per cent of Albertans 12 or older have received at least one dose, while 60.2 per cent of eligible Albertans are fully vaccinated.

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