Overview
The Alberta Immunization Policy (AIP) contains a complete listing of publicly funded vaccines and biologicals, and indications for their use.
- The AIP is revised as new research and national recommendations become available –
- always reference the current version
- check this page regularly for updates
- Read the Canadian Immunization Guide for more information about immunization.
- Read Alberta’s routine immunization schedule
Immunization policy changes
The Alberta government has introduced new requirements that will standardize practices for all immunization providers, regardless of whether a vaccine is provincially funded or privately purchased
- requires health practitioners to report immunizations and assessments electronically to Alberta Health within a week – effective January 1, 2021
- requires health practitioners to report adverse events following immunization to Alberta Health Services within 3 days of becoming aware – effective December 17, 2018
- sets out requirements for the storage, handling and transportation of vaccines – effective December 17, 2018
The regulation will improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of Alberta’s immunization program and was supported by regulatory bodies and stakeholders involved in the consultative process.
Legislation
- Public Health Act
- Immunization Regulation
- Read more about the immunization regulation
- Immunization reporting by electronic means
COVID-19 and immunization
Immunization is one of the most important public health measures used to protect the health of Albertans. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.
Keeping your routine immunizations up-to-date is an important way you can help your community during the COVID-19 pandemic. This helps to protect your loved ones, vulnerable Albertans and reduce the burden on Alberta’s healthcare system.
Alberta Immunization Policy COVID-19 documents
AIP documents
All current AIP documents are hosted on Open Alberta.
AIP updates
- Table of AIP updates (PDF, 568 KB)
Introduction to AIP
- AIP Background (PDF, 53 KB) Federal leadership
- Provincial Mandate (PDF, 44 KB) legislative authority and provincial leadership
- Immunization Goals and Objectives (PDF, 229 KB)
- Eligibility Criteria for Provincially Funded Vaccine (PDF, 25 KB)
- Roles and Responsibilities (PDF, 540 KB)
- delivery of childhood immunization in Alberta
- immunization opportunities
- responsibilities of immunization providers
General principles
- Assessment Expected Prior to Vaccine Administration (PDF, 92 KB)
- Biological Considerations (PDF, 34 KB)
- Immunization of Individuals with Inadequate Immunization Records (PDF, 60 KB)
- Occupational Immunization Considerations (PDF, 462 KB)
History of immunization in Alberta
- Alberta immunization program changes (PDF, 616 KB)
Immunization schedules
- Routine Childhood Immunization Schedule (PDF, 71 KB)
- Infants: Routine Immunization Schedule (PDF, 246 KB)
- School Immunization Schedule (PDF, 52 KB)
- Adult Immunization Schedule (PDF, 52 KB)
- Immunization of Individuals with Chronic Health Conditions or Medical Conditions (PDF, 43 KB)
Biological products
Botulism
- Botulism Antitoxin Heptavalent (Equine) Types A to G (PDF, 328 KB)
COVID-19
mRNA vaccines
- Pfizer-BioNTech Original 12+ years (PDF, 305 KB)
- Pfizer-BioNTech Original 5 to 11 years (PDF, 370 KB)
- Pfizer-BioNTech Original 6 months to 4 years (PDF, 379 KB)
- Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent (Original and Omicron BA.4/BA.5) 12+ years (PDF, 258 KB)
- Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent (Original and Omicron BA.4/BA.5) 5 to 11 years (PDF, 272 KB)
- Moderna Spikevax Original 6 months to 5 years (PDF, 381 KB)
Other COVID-19 vaccines
COVID-19 resources for health care practitioners
- Allergy Pathways
- Vaccine Eligibility and Scheduling (PDF, 168 KB)
- Defining a COVID-19 Vaccine Primary Series
- Management of COVID-19 vaccine administration errors and deviations
Diphtheria Antitoxin
- Diphtheria Antitoxin (equine) (PDF, 253 KB)
dTap
- Diphtheria-Tetanus-Acellular Pertussis Combined Vaccine (PDF, 387 KB)
- Policy for pharmacists providing pertussis (dTap) vaccine for pregnant women
dTap-IPV
DTaP-IPV-Hib
- Diphtheria-Tetanus-Acellular Pertussis-Polio-Haemophilus influenzae type b Conjugate Combined Vaccine (PDF, 68 KB)
DTaP-IPV-Hib-HB
- Diphtheria-Tetanus-Acellular Pertussis-Hepatitis B-Polio-Haemophilus influenzae type b Conjugate Combined Vaccine (PDF, 82 KB)
HIB (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- Haemophilus influenzae type b Conjugate Vaccine (PDF, 46 KB)
Hepatitis A (HAV)
- Hepatitis A Vaccine (PDF, 60 KB)
Hepatitis A and B (HABV)
- Hepatitis A and B Combined Vaccine (PDF, 48 KB)
Hepatitis B (HBV)
- Hepatitis B Immune Globulin (Human) (PDF, 49 KB)
- Hepatitis B Vaccine (PDF, 885 KB)
- Hepatitis B Virus Infection – High Endemic Geographic Areas (PDF, 33 KB)
- Hepatitis B Risk Assessment for Paid Workers/Volunteers/Students (PDF, 57 KB)
HPV
- Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: HPV 9 (PDF, 43 KB)
Herpes Zoster
- Herpes Zoster - Shingrix Vaccine (PDF, 191 KB)
Immune Globulin (IG)
- Immune Globulin (Human) (PDF, 50 KB)
Influenza (Flu)
- Influenza Vaccine Quadrivalent Inactivated (PDF, 196 KB)
- Influenza Vaccine High Dose Quadrivalent Inactivated (PDF, 396 KB)
- Influenza Immunization Policy
MMR
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella Combined Vaccine (PDF, 531 KB)
MMR-Varicella (MMR-Var)
- Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella Combined Vaccine (PDF, 411 KB)
Meningococcal
- Meningococcal B Multicomponent Recombinant Vaccine (PDF, 51 KB)
- Meningococcal Conjugate (Groups A, C, Y and W-135) (PDF, 379 KB)
- Meningococcal Conjugate C Vaccine (PDF, 50 KB)
Mpox
- Smallpox and Mpox Vaccine (PDF, 459 KB)
- Smallpox Antiviral (TPOXX) (PDF, 165 KB)
Pneumococcal
- Pneumococcal Vaccine, 13-valent Conjugate (PDF, 76 KB)
- Pneumococcal Vaccine, 23-valent Polysaccharide (PDF, 377 KB)
- Policy for Pharmacists Providing Pneumococcal Polysaccharide 23 Valent vaccine (PDF, 46 KB)
- Pneumococcal Decision Tree for Pharmacists (PDF, 113 KB)
Polio
- Polio Vaccine (PDF, 541 KB)
Rabies
- Rabies Immune Globulin (Human) (PDF, 67 KB)
- Rabies Vaccine (PDF, 68 KB)
- Rabies Post-exposure – Authorizing and Obtaining Rabies Post-exposure Biologicals (PDF, 51 KB)
Rotavirus
- Rotavirus Vaccine (PDF, 209 KB)
Tetanus
- Tetanus Immune Globulin (Human) (PDF, 63 KB)
- Tetanus Post-exposure Prophylaxis in Injury/Wound Management (PDF, 87 KB)
Tuberculin
- Tuberculin PPD (PDF, 260 KB)
Typhoid
- Typhoid Vaccine (PDF, 52 KB)
Varicella
- Varicella Vaccine (PDF, 394 KB)
- Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin (PDF, 60 KB)
Special situations for immunization
- Hepatitis B (HBVD) Algorithm for Chronic Renal Disease (PDF, 58 KB)
- Immunization of Adult SOT Candidates and Recipients (PDF, 433 KB)
- Immunization of Specific Populations (Immunosuppressed and Chronic Health Conditions) (PDF, 1.1 MB)
- Principles of Immunization in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Recipients and Solid Organ Transplant (SOT) Recipients (PDF, 72 KB)
- Immunization for Child HSCT (PDF, 615 KB)
- Immunization for Adult HSCT (PDF, 610 KB)
- Immunization for Child Expecting SOT before 18 months of Age (Accelerated) (PDF, 79 KB)
- Immunization for Child Expecting SOT after 18 months of Age (Catch-up and Ongoing Schedule) (PDF, 481 KB)
Cold chain storage and handling
The following policies apply to all Alberta immunizers who provide publicly funded vaccine:
- Alberta Vaccine Storage and Handling Policy for Provincially Funded Vaccine
- Alberta Vaccine Storage and Handling for COVID-19 Vaccine
Alberta Health Services Cold Chain resources
Information on how to report a temperature excursion (cold chain break) is included in the Alberta Health Services Standard for Vaccine Storage and Handling (PDF, 380 KB)
- Complete the Alberta Health Services Cold Chain Excursion Report form (DOCX, 7.8 MB) and send to your Alberta Health Services Zone for review.
- Learn more on the Alberta Health Services Vaccine Storage and Handling web page
- Alberta Health Services contacts and zone maps
See the Immunization Regulation for specific timeline parameters for reporting of temperature excursions (cold chain breaks).
Product problem form
Use the publicly funded vaccine product form (PDF, 2.8 MB) to report vaccine products that are faulty when received or noticed at time of administration. Reportable issues include:
- floaters or sludge in the vial
- unsealed packaging
- number of doses withdrawn from a multi-dose vial is fewer than the number of doses indicated on its label
- broken vial
- no label or an incorrect label
- faulty syringes
- white clip backstop is detached
Where possible, return the faulty product as outlined on the form.
Adverse events – immunization
Data from Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) reports contribute to provincial immunization program evaluation as well as to the national AEFI surveillance. The following reporting guidance is available for Alberta immunizers:
- Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Policy
- Active Surveillance and Reporting of Adverse Events following COVID-19 Immunization
- Report of Adverse Events Following Immunization (PDF, 174 KB) for AHS and FNIHB
- Federal Vaccine Injury Support Program Information – New policy outlining the Vaccine Injury Support Program implemented in Canada December 2020 and is delivered independently of the Federal Government, with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
How to report an adverse event following immunization
The Immunization Regulation requires health practitioners to report adverse events following immunization for all vaccines (provincially or non-provincially funded) to Alberta Health Services within 3 days of becoming aware.
Imm/ARI data submission guidelines
- Immunization Data Submission and Response Guidelines, and Standard Code Tables
- Adverse Events Following Immunization Data Submission and Response Guidelines
- Reason codes by immunization phases for COVID-19 vaccine (PDF, 304 KB)
Contact
Connect with us for clarifications related to the Alberta Immunization Policy:
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 780-422-6663
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