Alberta records 1,345 new COVID-19 cases, books 27K AstraZeneca vaccine appointments Tuesday | FULL

More than 27,000 appointments were booked on Tuesday alone for eligible Albertans to receive the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the first day the vaccine was made available to people aged 40 and older. Also Tuesday, Alberta identified 1,345 new cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths from the disease.

Tuesday marked the first day those born in 1981 or earlier could book an appointment to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine. It comes after Alberta announced Sunday it was dropping the eligibility age from 55 to 40, following the advice of public health officials.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw were among those to get their first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine Tuesday.

Premier Jason Kenney, who also falls into the eligible group, said he booked his appointment to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine this Thursday.

Alberta Health Services said the 27,000 appointments booked Tuesday include about 6,500 appointments booked in the Edmonton zone and 15,000 in the Calgary zone.

Kenney said that about 107,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine had been administered by Monday night and upwards of 70,000 appointments are booked in the next 10 days.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/7773828/alberta-covid-19-update-april-20-2021/

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