Flu and COVID Shots in Alberta This Fall: Who Goes Where by Age (and Why Your Family Can’t All Book at the Pharmacy)

Last Reviewed: October 4, 2026

I’m Oyinda, a pharmacist and a mom of three, and this fall Alberta’s rules send one family to two different places for the same two shots. This guide sorts your household by age, so you know where each person goes for flu and COVID vaccines, what’s free, what carries a fee, and when to book so you aren’t finding out at the counter.

My twins turn 3 in December. My oldest son is 9. This fall, they need their shots in two different places: my oldest son can get his at the pharmacy, and my toddlers have to go to public health.

Same family, same season, same flu shot. Two different doors. I know about the split because I work in a pharmacy. A lot of parents won’t find out until they’re standing at the counter with everyone in tow.

The twins have had a flu shot before, so this year they need only one dose each. The kids don’t qualify for the free COVID vaccine, so we’re skipping it for them this season. I qualify myself, though, because the list includes anyone actively registered with an Alberta health profession college, and that covers pharmacists. It’s exactly why it pays to check the list for every person in the house, not just the kids. Our choice for the kids is based on where they fall on the eligibility list, not a recommendation for yours. If someone in your house is on that list, the free vaccine is there for them, and the section below shows you where to go.

If you have one child under 5 and another who is 5 or older, your family is probably split the same way. Here’s who goes where, what it costs, and how to choose between two trips and one.

Who Goes Where This Fall, by Age

Scroll sideways to view the full table if needed.

Read that table down the COVID column and you’ll see where most families get caught. A child under 12 can’t get a COVID shot at the pharmacy at all, and a child who isn’t on the eligibility list pays the fee.

Flu Shots: Free for Everyone, Not Available Everywhere

Every Albertan 6 months and older can get the flu vaccine for free this season. What changes with age is the door you walk through.

Why your toddler can’t get the free flu shot at the pharmacy

The Government of Alberta’s wording is precise: pharmacists can’t immunize children under 5 with provincially funded vaccines. So children 6 months up to 4 years get their free flu shot at public health or a community health centre.

That’s a funding rule, not a limit on what pharmacists are trained to do. Since February 2025, Alberta pharmacists who complete extra training and register it with the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) can give injections to children 2 to 4 years old. Some pharmacies may offer that for other vaccines. The free, provincially funded flu shot for this age group still runs through public health.

Clinical Mama Tip: when a pharmacy tells you it can’t do your 3-year-old’s flu shot, the staff aren’t being unhelpful. They’re following how the province pays for the program.

A first flu shot under age 9 means two appointments

Children 6 months to under 9 years who are getting a flu vaccine for the first time need two doses this season, at least four weeks apart. That’s the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendation for 2026–27, and the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) says the same.

In practice, a toddler’s first flu season means two public health appointments, a month apart. Book the first one early, so the second one doesn’t land after flu season has already picked up. A child who has had a flu shot in a previous season needs only one dose. So does anyone 9 or older, even if it’s their first.

COVID Shots: Free for Some, a Fee for Others

This is the part that surprises people, because last year’s rules, this year’s rules and the flu rules are all different.

Who qualifies for free COVID vaccine in Alberta

Provincially funded COVID vaccine this season is for Albertans 65 and older, and for anyone 6 months and older who is:

• Living in long-term care or another congregate living setting
• Living with an underlying medical condition, including an immunocompromising condition (full list below)
• Experiencing homelessness
• Pregnant
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis
• A health care worker or other care provider, including anyone actively registered with an Alberta health profession college
• A teacher eligible under the Back to School Act

If you’re 12 or older and on that list, you can get it for free at a community pharmacy. For most people, you can book once it has been at least three months since your last COVID dose.

The medical conditions list is broader than most parents expect

The province lists these underlying medical conditions:

• Cancer (currently receiving treatment)
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Chronic liver, lung or kidney disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes, type 1 and type 2
• Disabilities, including Down syndrome, learning, intellectual or developmental disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy, congenital disabilities and spinal cord injuries
• Heart conditions, such as cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease and heart failure
• Mental health disorders, limited to mood disorders (including depression) and schizophrenia and related disorders
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Tuberculosis

It also lists these immunocompromising conditions: HIV infection, primary immunodeficiency diseases, a solid organ or blood stem cell transplant, and use of corticosteroids, other immunosuppressive medications or CAR T-cell therapy.

Clinical Mama Tip: read the disabilities line twice. A child with ADHD or a learning disability is on the list, which means a free COVID vaccine instead of a $100 fee. If you aren’t sure whether your child’s condition counts, ask when you book or call Health Link at 811 before you pay.

Kids 6 months to 11: public health only, and the $100 fee

Children 6 months to 11 years get COVID vaccine at Primary Care Alberta public health clinics, not at pharmacies. If your child meets the eligibility criteria above, it’s free. If not, the province charges a $100 administrative fee per dose or series.

An 8-year-old with none of the listed conditions falls in the second group. Knowing that before the appointment is the whole point of this section.

Teens and adults who don’t qualify: buying it at the pharmacy

Albertans 12 and older who aren’t eligible for funded COVID vaccine can buy it at participating community pharmacies. The province doesn’t publish a set price for this, so ask the pharmacy what it charges when you book.

The Dates That Matter: October 5 and October 19

• October 5, 2026: public health appointments for children 6 months to 4 years become available.
• October 19, 2026: the provincial flu and COVID programs start for the general public at pharmacies and public health clinics.

If a toddler in your house needs two first-time flu doses, October 5 is the day to act.

How to Book the Whole Family With the Fewest Trips

Step 1: Sort your household into pharmacy people and public health people

Write down each person’s age. Anyone 6 months to 4 years is a public health person for flu. Anyone 6 months to 11 years is a public health person for COVID. Everyone else can use a pharmacy.

Step 2: Check the family option if you have a child under 5

Here’s the part I want every parent in my position to see. MyHealth Alberta’s booking page says public health appointments are available for children 6 months up to 4 years “and their families.” The COVID booking section says the same for children up to 11.

So if you have a toddler, your older kids and you may be able to get your flu shots at the same public health appointment, instead of making a separate pharmacy trip. Confirm when you book, because clinic capacity varies.

One trip isn’t always the easier one. For my family, two trips still wins. The twins need a booked public health appointment, which will probably land on a school-day morning, and I don’t want my son missing school for it. He can walk in at my pharmacy instead. Choose whichever fits your week.

Step 3: Check COVID eligibility for each person

Go down the eligibility list and the medical conditions list above for each family member. For a child under 12 who isn’t eligible, decide before the appointment whether you’ll pay the $100 fee. For anyone 12 or older who isn’t eligible, ask the pharmacy’s price.

Step 4: Book the little ones first

Public health books children under 5 by appointment. Book online, call Health Link at 811, or contact your local public health or community health centre. If it’s a first flu season, book both doses now, four weeks apart.

Step 5: Book everyone 5 and up

If you aren’t using the family option, book pharmacy appointments online through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System, call 811, or contact your pharmacy. Many pharmacies take walk-ins for flu shots.

Can we get flu and COVID shots on the same day?

Yes. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the Canadian Paediatric Society both say flu vaccine can be given on the same day as, or any time before or after, other vaccines, including COVID vaccine. For a child who needs both, one appointment can cover both.

What to say when you call

For a public health or community health centre booking:

“I’d like to book flu shots for my two children, who are both 2. They’ve had a flu shot before. Can the rest of our family get flu shots at the same appointment?”

For a pharmacy:

“I’d like to book a flu shot for my 9-year-old. I’m also calling to ask whether I’m eligible for a free COVID vaccine, and if not, what you charge for it.”

If it’s your child’s first flu season, say so when you book, so the clinic schedules the second dose four weeks later.

After the Shots: What’s Normal and When to Call

Most children have no side effects, or mild ones that pass in a few days. Primary Care Alberta lists redness, warmth, swelling or bruising where the needle went in, crying, feeling tired or unwell, a poor appetite, and a fever or chills as common reactions.

Skip the dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen before the appointment. The Canadian Immunization Guide doesn’t recommend it, because there’s no evidence it reduces needle pain. Afterward is different: for a mild fever or a sore arm that’s making your child uncomfortable, a weight-based dose is reasonable. My guide to acetaminophen versus ibuprofen for kids covers choosing between them and dosing them safely. If a fever after the shot has you unsure, my fever guide walks through when to treat and when to wait.

Call 911 right away if, after a vaccine, your child has trouble breathing, a hoarse voice or noisy breathing, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, widespread hives, or suddenly faints or becomes unresponsive. These are signs of a serious allergic reaction. Most of these reactions start within 30 minutes, which is why the clinic or pharmacy asks you to wait at least 15 minutes before you leave.

Call Health Link at 811 to report any serious or unusual side effect, or if you’re not sure whether what you’re seeing is normal.

If you’re weighing whether a reaction needs the emergency department, urgent care or a phone call, my guide to ER, urgent care or waiting it out takes you through the decision.

Quick Reference: Your Family’s Fall Shot Plan

• Flu vaccine is free for every Albertan 6 months and older.
• Ages 6 months to 4 years get the free flu shot at public health or a community health centre, not a pharmacy.
• Ages 5 and up can get the free flu shot at a pharmacy.
• A first-time flu shot under age 9 means two doses, four weeks apart.
• Ages 6 months to 11 years get COVID vaccine at public health only, free if eligible, otherwise $100 per dose or series.
• The COVID medical conditions list includes ADHD, learning disabilities, diabetes and obesity, so check it for every person.
• Ages 12 and up get COVID vaccine at a pharmacy, free if eligible, otherwise bought at a participating pharmacy.
• Public health books children under 5 “and their families,” so ask about doing everyone at once.
• Flu and COVID can be given at the same visit.
• Public health appointments for under 5s open October 5. Shots start October 19.
• To book: online, Health Link at 811, your pharmacy, or your public health or community health centre.

Clinical Mama Takeaway

Two toddlers on one side of the age-5 line and a 9-year-old on the other: that’s my house this fall, and the rules put us in two places for the same shot. None of it is complicated once you see it laid out by age. It only becomes a problem when you find out at the counter.

So we’re doing it in two trips: a booked appointment at public health for the twins, and a walk-in at my pharmacy for my son. Sort your family by age first, check the COVID list for every person, and pick the route that fits your week.

The shots won’t keep every virus out of the house this winter. When one does get in, my guide to when your child can go back to daycare covers the next question. For the vaccines that are on the school form, start with my back-to-school vaccine checklist.

❓Frequently Asked Questions

📚References

1. Government of Alberta. (2026). Respiratory virus season – Get vaccinated. Accessed from https://www.alberta.ca/respiratory-virus-season-get-vaccinated
2. Alberta Health Services, MyHealth Alberta. (2026). Book an immunization appointment. Accessed from https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Topic/Immunization/pages/book-appointment.aspx
3. Alberta Blue Cross. (2026). Pharmacy Benefact #1338. Accessed from https://www.ab.bluecross.ca/pdfs/pharmacy-benefacts/pharmacy-benefact-1338.pdf
4. Alberta College of Pharmacy. (2026). The provincial influenza and COVID-19 immunization programs begin October 19, 2026. Accessed from https://abpharmacy.ca/news/the-provincial-influenza-and-covid-19-immunization-programs-begin-october-19-2026/
5. Alberta College of Pharmacy. (n.d.). Authorization to administer drugs by injection. Accessed from https://abpharmacy.ca/regulated-members/registration/pharmacists/authorizations/authorization-to-administer-drugs-by-injection/
6. Alberta College of Pharmacy. (2024, updated 2025). Injections for children two years of age and older. Accessed from https://abpharmacy.ca/news/injections-for-children-two-years-of-age-and-older/
7. Public Health Agency of Canada, National Advisory Committee on Immunization. (2026). Summary: Statement on seasonal influenza vaccines for 2026-2027. Accessed from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-summary-statement-seasonal-influenza-vaccines-2026-2027.html
8. Canadian Paediatric Society. (2026). Vaccine recommendations for children and youth for the 2026/2027 influenza season. Accessed from https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/influenza-vaccine-children-youth
9. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2023). Anaphylaxis and other acute reactions following vaccination: Canadian Immunization Guide. Accessed from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-2-vaccine-safety/page-4-early-vaccine-reactions-including-anaphylaxis.html
10. Primary Care Alberta. (2026). Care After Immunization: Infant and Child. Accessed from https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/hp/cdc/if-hp-cdc-ipsm-infant-child-aftercare-104495.pdf
11. Government of Alberta. (2026). Regulated health professions and regulatory colleges. Accessed from https://www.alberta.ca/regulated-health-professions
12. Public Health Agency of Canada. (2026). Vaccine administration practices: Canadian Immunization Guide. Accessed from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-1-key-immunization-information/page-8-vaccine-administration-practices.html