By the summer of 2021, the Province of Alberta plans to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to all Albertans. Premier Jason Kenney made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon but said the vaccine will not be mandatory.

“We don’t live in a country where the government can inject you with something against your will,” he said. The Premier mentioned that the province needs as many Albertans as possible to get vaccinated and said he will get the vaccine and strongly encourages others to do so too.

“Alberta is well prepared to receive, distribute, and administer a vaccine as soon as doses arrive,” he stated. Kenney explained that AHS already has 13 vaccine depots across the province ready to distribute the vaccine, 17 non-AHS depots, and 30 total vaccine depots across Alberta.

Phase 1 of vaccinations will be during the first three months of 2021 and will start with the most vulnerable people. The Premier said the province expects to be able to vaccinate 435,000 people with shipments of the vaccine expected to arrive by January 4.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” said Kenney. He said the province is ready for the vaccine and they will get it to residents as soon as they can.

In terms of statistics, there are 1685 new cases of COVID-19 in the province with 10 deaths reported in the last 24-hours

The first phase will immunize priority groups like people who are at the highest risk in long-term care homes, or in health care delivery. The first vaccines will require people to have two doses with the second dose coming after at least three weeks. Phase 2 will be from April to June of 2021.

Phase 3 will start in the summer and that’s when the vaccine will be available to the general population. Kenney says that in the meantime everyone will have to continue to follow public health guidelines.