
Tuesday's letters: UCP'S COVID plan means more illness and death
Article content
Beginning this fall, the UCP government — undoubtedly urged on by its anti-vaxxer supporters — plans to greatly reduce already low COVID vaccination rates by charging a fee, possibly as much as $110; no longer permitting neighborhood pharmacies to provide COVID vaccinations; and requiring advance bookings at public health clinics.
Since COVID disproportionately results in severe illness and death among Alberta seniors, who represent about 90 per cent of COVID deaths, these three vaccination disincentives will undoubtedly result in further overcrowding of our hospitals and even more preventable deaths. Thankfully, there appear to be thus far no UCP plans to similarly discourage flu vaccinations, even though (ironically) 2024-25 annual deaths from flu (228) are fewer than from COVID (368, a figure which will undoubtedly rise in the future).

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