Siksika opens vaccine clinic to rural Albertans

By Sean Feagan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Siksika Health Services is opening its COVID-19 vaccination program to residents of municipalities surrounding Siksika Nation, including Strathmore and Wheatland County.

The move will help strengthen the province’s COVID-19 vaccine roll-out strategy by addressing gaps in service access for Albertans, particularly those living in rural settings, according to Siksika Health Services.

“In the spirit of protecting one another, including our non-Indigenous brothers and sisters around us, Siksika Nation is pleased to offer COVID-19 immunization to rural Albertans as an accessible, closer-to-home vaccine location,” said Chief Ouray Crowfoot.

The program started May 25 and will remain in operation as long as vaccine supply is available. The clinic is located at the Deerfoot Sportsplex and will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

The clinic is providing first doses of Moderna vaccine to adults born in 2003 or earlier (turning 18 or older this year) and Pfizer vaccine to youths born in 2004 to 2009 (12 to 17 years of age). Siksika has been administering COVID-19 vaccine through its immunization clinics since Jan. 1 of this year.

Immunization for rural Albertans is available by appointment only. Bookings are available to residents of Strathmore, Wheatland County, Vulcan County and County of Newell. Appointments can be made online by visiting https://bookyourvisit.ca/siksikavaccineclinic.