As reported in Alberta Blue Cross Benefact #1277, community pharmacies are enabled to provide patients with privately purchased COVID-19 vaccines. It is important to note that all COVID-19 vaccines are Schedule 2, regardless if they are publicly or privately funded. Pharmacists providing private COVID-19 immunizations should first inform patients if they qualify for a publicly funded vaccine.
As required under the Immunization Regulation, all vaccines administered in the province, whether publicly funded or privately purchased, must be reported to Alberta’s provincial immunization repository (ImmARI) within seven days of administration.
Please note that pharmacies that are not enabled for real-time integration (RTI) with Netcare must submit reports through the Immunization Data Submission Mechanism (IDSM), a free, vendor-independent web application.
Pharmacies enabled with RTI will have their immunization data automatically uploaded to the Ministry via ImmARI, provided they have completed a Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) that includes the transmission of data to ImmARI.
For more information, please contact your software vendor.
Remember, as required in the Alberta College of Pharmacy’s Standards for the Operation of Licensed Pharmacies, pharmacies must have RTI with Netcare in place by July 1, 2026.
Publicly funded COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out through Alberta Health Services (AHS) public health clinics in phases, beginning with those at highest risk and later expanding to all Albertans depending on vaccine availability. Visit the AHS website for details on eligibility, timing, and booking.
For more information about the 2025-26 Fall 2025-26 Immunization Program, refer to ACP’s Seasonal Immunization Information webpage.
