Health experts, advocates and unions are sounding the alarm over Alberta’s plan for paid COVID-19 shots, calling it concerning and confusing.

On Monday, two months after the province announced it was adding a fee, it opened online pre-ordering for the vaccine. Albertans still need to book appointments for the shots, starting in October.

Dr. James Talbot, the province’s former chief medical officer of health, said the government appears to be doing everything it can to make this year’s immunization campaign a “failure” by making it less available, less accessible and less affordable.

“They are basically sabotaging their own COVID campaign,” he said.

He’s among a chorus of critics warning it could lead to more hospitalizations and stress on the health-care system.

Talbot and other publi

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