Alberta Health Services has notified Westwinds Communities that all three of Westwinds' seniors' lodges are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine within the month.

Sandstone Lodge in Okotoks will be the first, with an initial dose available on January 8th and a second on February 5th.

Medicine Tree Manor and High Country Lodge will follow suit on January 20th, with second doses in mid-February.

The vaccine will be available free-of-charge to residents who want it, with the remainder available to employees via a lottery process.

AHS previously stated that the Moderna vaccine is being administered to Alberta's senior population rather than the Pfizer vaccine since the latter must be administered at the delivery site.

In a letter to residents, Westwinds CAO Lauren Ingalls stated the availability of the vaccine came as a pleasant surprise.

"Westwinds had not expected residents to be able to participate in vaccination until spring of 2021 but is delighted at the early opportunity to extend vaccine protection to our residents and hopefully our employees much much earlier than anticipated."

To view the announcement from Westwinds Communities, click here.

 

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