Nearly 17,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are being distributed across the province.

These shots will be used to immunize residents of long term care homes and designated supportive living facilities in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge, Red Deer, St Paul, Medicine Hat and Grande Prairie.

The vaccines will also be distributed to six First-Nation congregate living facilities on reserves and remote and rural areas.

Immunizations will begin Wednesday.

“I am very pleased to hear that we will have access to more vaccine that is more readily transportable, enabling us to offer it to vulnerable Albertans,” said Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health.

“This is heartening news, but it is not the end of our hard work. We must continue to follow health measures to bend the curve and we must continue to be each others’ vaccine until we are all able to be immunized.”

As more vaccinations arrive, they will continue to go to long term care homes, then be distributed to seniors over the age of 75 and residents of First-Nations communities over the age of 65.

Phase two of the province’s vaccine deployment plan will roll out in April with the general public able to get the vaccine later into 2021.