The Alberta Medical Association (AMA) has expressed strong concern over the provincial government’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy, highlighting the potential negative impact on public health and healthcare costs in Alberta. AMA President Brian Wirzba voiced apprehension that the current plan could dissuade many Albertans from getting vaccinated, which could lead to significant financial repercussions for the province.
Wirzba indicated that if just five percent of the population refrains from vaccination, the resultant increase in hospitalizations could cost Alberta over $65 million, based solely on hospitalization expenses linked to COVID-19. This figure, he notes, far exceeds any possible savings the province might achieve by reducing its vaccine expenditure or by minimizing wastage.
Under the new framework, provinces are responsible for procuring COVID-19 vaccines, and Alberta has opted to limit free vaccinations primarily to high-risk individuals. The government’s stance has been to label COVID-19 vaccines as “an expensive intervention,” which has resulted in a policy requiring most residents to pay $100 for the vaccine, coupled with drastic reductions in accessibility and a complicated pre-ordering system.
AMA data shows that throughout 2023-24, unvaccinated individuals were almost ten times more likely to require hospitalization due to COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated individuals, and 20 times more likely than those who have received booster shots. Enhanced vaccination could have effectively averted approximately 3,400 hospitalizations and 36,300 bed-days, leading to estimated direct healthcare savings of around $100 million.
Wirzba emphasized the stark contrast when comparing the cost of vaccinating individuals versus the expenses incurred from hospital stays, stating, “For the price of one COVID hospitalization, Alberta could vaccinate about 310 individuals.” He argued that promoting vaccination not only improves individual health and productivity but also alleviates pressure on emergency services and hospital facilities.
Moreover, Wirzba stressed that the purpose of any vaccination program should not be merely to manage supply but to proactively assess community needs, ensuring that effective preventive therapies are accessible to all who could benefit. He concluded by asserting that Alberta’s residents deserve public health measures grounded in sound evidence aimed at curtailing long-term health costs. He urged that any barriers to delivering vaccines to those in need represent a failure of public health, rather than an issue of wasted resources.