EDMONTON -- Tuesday is the day for the first COVID-19 vaccinations in Alberta.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the first doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are to be given to health workers in Edmonton and Calgary at 4 p.m.

Premier Jason Kenney says the Calgary recipient will be a nurse.

Vaccinations were to begin on Wednesday, but Kenney says events are moving faster than expected.

About 3,900 doses of the vaccine -- which must be stored in extremely cold temperatures -- arrived on Monday night and are being thawed so they can be used.

Shandro says another 25,000 doses are to arrive next week.

He says all the early doses are to be given to front-line health workers to keep them and their patients safe.