Updated: Tue Nov. 03 2009 10:00:52

ctvedmonton.ca

Alberta's Health Minister Ron Liepert said Monday that the province will roll out a revised H1N1 vaccine plan Tuesday.

"Alberta Health Services officials have spent the last two days refocusing on their immunization plans to target only high risk groups over the next few weeks. A new plan will be rolled out tomorrow," said Liepert.

A meeting between Alberta's Premier Ed Stelmach and high ranking health officials took place Monday morning to discuss the province's current situation on administering the H1N1 flu shot to all Albertans.

CTV News has learned that both Liepert and Dr. Andre Corriveau, the province's chief medical officer of health were in talks with other Alberta Health Services officials to devise a new plan for administering the H1N1 flu shot.

During question period, Liepert made brief mention of the new plan.

"Strict enforcement of this new plan will have to be implemented. We're working through the measure to make sure we have a reasonable approach to ensure compliance," said Liepert.

The province temporarily shut down all of the H1N1 vaccination clinics in Alberta Saturday due to a shortage of the vaccine. Health officials were originally offering shots to all Albertans but had asked residents to give high-risk groups priority.

Critics are now suggesting that enforcement should have been in place from the beginning.

"It's negligent to trust an honor system to something that has created such anxiety over the last few months," said Liberal Leader David Swann.

But Liepert maintains that the vaccination program so far should be applauded.

"Anytime you can vaccinate 400,000 people in six days, that's a tremendous success," said Liepert.

Corriveau said there is now the possibility of opening up a separate clinic for those high-risk groups, which include pregnant women, children under five, people under 65 with chronic health conditions, people living in remote and isolated communities, and health care workers.

The health minister said there are 180,000 doses of vaccine left to use. He said he expects nearly 80,000 more of both the non-adjuvanted and the regular vaccine in the coming days.

Over the weekend, 24 people were hospitalized due to the virus.

With files from Serena Mah and the Canadian Press