Alberta Government Safe and Effective Gaslighting for Health

Alberta Health – Public and Rural Health Division

Subject: COVID-19 Vaccine Safety

Dear Al Neitsch,

Thank you for your email to the Honourable Pete Guthrie, Minister of Infrastructure, the Honourable Adriana Lagrange, Minister of Health, and MLA Pitt regarding COVID-19 vaccine safety. Your email has been forwarded to Alberta Health and we appreciate the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Government of Alberta. We are sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis and the challenges that you faced accessing care during the pandemic. We hope the following information is helpful to you and answers both of your questions.

Why is the Government of Alberta still promoting enhanced MRNA vaccines and schedules in spite of growing evidence that this experimental technology is proving to be neither safe or effective?

The Government of Alberta still recommends that Albertans protect themselves from COVID-19 by getting immunized, because COVID-19 continues to circulate, requiring resources from the health system. COVID-19 disease was the third leading cause of death in Canada in 2022, the last year for which national statistics are currently available. In Alberta, for the 2023-2024 respiratory season, so far there have been 4,544 individuals hospitalized, 287 requiring intensive care and 552 of them dying due to COVID-19 disease. Children are also at risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 disease as there have been 349 children admitted to hospital in Alberta, 36 admitted to ICU and sadly, 3 deaths have been reported, all from COVID-19 disease. More information and updated data can be found on the respiratory virus dashboard.

COVID-19 vaccines are available for all Albertans six months and older as eligible and have been recommended by Alberta Health and the National Advisory Committee on Immunization since they were authorized for use by Health Canada. All approved vaccines, including the mRNA vaccines, have undergone rigorous testing for quality, safety, and effectiveness, and are fully approved in Canada. Health Canada also publishes technical information about each authorized vaccine, which includes a summary of the scientific rationale for the decisions, the data supporting the vaccine’s approval, clinical trial results, and any new information that affects the assessment of the vaccine.

Extensive safety surveillance programs after millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered does not lead to the conclusion that the vaccine has caused cancer or sudden deaths. The timing of receiving a vaccine and a health condition diagnosis does not automatically demonstrate the vaccine caused the health condition.

Please note that Alberta Health has not changed our guidance for individuals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine every three months. Six-month and three-month spacing is used to describe the time required between doses and does not mean that individuals are recommended or eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine every three or six months.

What response or mitigation strategy plans does the Alberta government have in place to handle the future harms, injuries and death of Albertans that will surely increase if the push for vaccine acceptance continues?

In Alberta, the reporting of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) is mandatory under the province’s Immunization Regulation. This allows Alberta Health Services and Alberta Health to rapidly assess any potential risks and take immediate action when necessary. Additionally, the Alberta respiratory virus dashboard provides details about the number and types of adverse events following influenza and COVID-19 immunization during the current respiratory illness season. Following receipt of a vaccine, serious side effects are rare, and the benefits of immunization far outweigh the risks. Discussions surrounding the risks and benefits of vaccines are part of a health care provider’s due diligence when obtaining informed consent.

The Alberta government also supports the federal Canadian Vaccine Injury Support Program (VISP). However, the VISP works independently from government bodies, including Alberta Health. Individuals who suffer a serious and permanent injury, or a prolonged existing hospitalization that results in a persistent or significant disability or incapacity, may submit a claim to the VISP. The VISP is in place to ensure that all Canadians who experience a serious and permanent injury resulting from a Health Canada authorized vaccine that was administered in Canada, on or after December 8, 2020, have fair and timely access to financial support. A committee of three physicians from VISP review claimants’ medical records to determine if a probable link exists between the injury and the vaccine.

Vaccines are not mandated by the Government of Alberta; however, we do have an obligation to make vaccines accessible. While immunization is one of the most effective ways to protect and promote the health of Albertans, we believe that individuals should be supported in the personal choice they make related to immunization. One way that Alberta Health supports choice is by offering both mRNA and non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. While evidence indicates that mRNA vaccines are safe and effective, Novavax is available for those who prefer a non-mRNA vaccine. Novavax is a protein subunit vaccine, similar to the vaccine that is currently used for protection against hepatitis B. Subunit vaccines contain small, purified pieces of protein and not the virus, so they cannot cause COVID-19 illness. Information about Novavax is available online. Novavax vaccine is only available through public health, and appointments can be booked by calling 811 or your local public health office.

We acknowledge your frustration with the proposed World Health Organization pandemic treaty, as well as mandatory public health measures, the last of which were lifted on June 14, 2022.

Please rest assured that protecting and enhancing the health and well-being of Albertans remains our top priority.

Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,

The Alberta Health Immunization Team