As more Albertans become eligible to receive immunity against COVID-19, many of the distribution sites are having a hard time keeping up with the demand, particularly in rural areas.

Local Pharmacist and Owner of Fireside Pharmacy, Gunjan Dave says that while it's promising to see a growing list of Albertans who are now eligible to receive their shots,  the frustration lies in not having adequate shipments to fulfill the need.

"Alberta Health Services seems to not have enough stock availabilities coming up," says Dave. "Pharmacies are not sure when and how the next shipments are going to come."

Based on AHS recommendations, Dave says that they continue to take names and put them on a waitlist.

"We have been advised to put people on a waitlist," says Dave. "If the stock doesn't show up on time we get into cases where people have been hopeful of getting done, but we won't be able to deliver."

Dave says that the shipments haven't been consistent and the number of doses they receive is becoming less and less each time, causing even more booking issues. 

"They did initially deliver 200 doses, two weeks later we got just 100 doses," says Dave. "We do have about 400 to 500 people waiting on the list to get their vaccinations done."

Fireside Pharmacy has been designated solely as a Moderna vaccination site, and the province's most recent shipment of Moderna was cut in half.

During yesterday's COVID-19 update, Dr. Hinshaw spoke of the low supply of Moderna provincewide.

She says that since vaccine supply is part of a global system, the manufacturers are working hard to keep up with the demand around the world. Hinshaw says that the province will continue to work with pharmacies and adjust supply and allocation as best as possible.

The next shipment of Moderna is expected between April 29 and May 3, although the province says that's not a guarantee.