Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday, March 24

The latest COVID-19 numbers:

• On Tuesday, Alberta reported 692 new cases of COVID-19, and a record 202 new cases linked to highly contagious variants of the coronavirus.
• Tuesday's tally brings the number of active cases in the province to 6,534.
• Active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta have increased by more than 1,400 over the past eight days. 
• To date, 135,040 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
• 2,110 cases involving variants of concern have been identified, with 1,269 active. Variants now account for 19.4 per cent of all active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta. 
• Of those cases of variants of concern, 822 people have recovered while 19 have died.

• The Alberta government reported Tuesday that 285 people are being treated in hospital for COVID-19, 53 in intensive care beds and that two more people have died. 
• Hospitals in Alberta are preparing for a third wave of the pandemic, driven by the more aggressive variants of the coronavirus. 
• Dr. Darren Markland, an intensive care physician and nephrologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, wrote in a tweet on Tuesday that they have reopened the COVID-19 wards at their hospital.
• Almost all variant cases are the strain first identified in the U.K. (B117) and 19 are the strain first identified in South Africa.
• Alberta reported On Monday two new cases of the variant strain first identified in Brazil, known as P.1. There are now four cases of that strain.
• 12,835 coronavirus tests were completed Tuesday with a positivity rate of about 6.6 per cent.

The latest on reopening and restrictions:

• The Alberta government will not move into the next phase of reopening, Step 3. Health Minister Tyler Shandro said on Monday that no restrictions will be eased at this time because hospitalizations are on the rise.

• According to the provincial plan, to move to Step 3 there must be fewer than 300 people in hospital, and that total must be dropping. On March 3, there were 252 Albertans in hospital with COVID-19 — on Monday that number had grown to 280 and on Tuesday to 290.
• The growth is a "warning sign" the province has to take seriously, Shandro said.
• Under the current restrictions, all indoor social gatherings are limited to household members only. 
• People who live alone can have up to two close contacts:
  • These must be the same two contacts throughout the duration of the restriction.
  • If the close contacts do not live alone, visits cannot be held at their home.
  • Single parents who only live with their children under 18 are permitted to have up to two close contacts.
• Outdoor social gatherings can have up to 10 people, but must follow all public health rules about masks and physical distancing. The rules are enforceable with $1,000 fines.
• Retail stores and malls can have their capacity to 25 per cent of fire code occupancy, and youth sports teams and activities are allowed to resume with up to 10 participants. Masks and physical distancing are still required.
• Restrictions also eased for child, youth and adult performances, including singing, theatre and playing wind instruments, though participants must follow the same restrictions as for youth sports.
• Banquet halls, community hall and hotels can host permitted performance activities, wedding ceremonies with up to 10 people, and funeral services with up to 20.
• Rules for indoor fitness still require that gym visits must be scheduled or by appointment — no drop-ins allowed.
  • Low-intensity individual and group exercises are allowed without a trainer. Public health rules must be followed, including wearing masks and physical distancing.
  • High-intensity activities — without a mask — are allowed only for one-on-one workouts with a trainer. Trainers must still be masked.
  • No sports games, competitions, team practice or league play is allowed.

Alberta is putting off Step 3 of reopening

4 years ago

Duration 2:14

Health Minister Tyler Shandro said the province would not be easing restrictions Monday. While hospitalizations still number under 300 in Alberta, officials say that number could rise in the coming weeks.

The latest on the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines:

• 512,248 doses of vaccines have been administered and 93,910 Albertans have been fully vaccinated as of March 23.
• The Alberta government reported reaching a COVID-19 milestone on Wednesday, with more than half a million doses of vaccine administered in the province. 
• Nearly one in 10 Albertans have received at least one dose to protect against COVID-19, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said in a release on Wednesday.
• "We are all tired of the 'new normal.' Fortunately, with every single vaccine administered we are getting closer and closer to returning to normal," Shandro said. "If supply keeps up, every adult Albertan will be offered a vaccination by the end of June."
• Alberta is reporting 9,787 new vaccinations administered on Tuesday. 
• The province told CBC News that 94,400 doses of the Moderna vaccine expected to arrive Wednesday have been delayed. They now expect to receive only 28,500 doses this week, and 65,900 doses on or around March 30.
• The delay has impacted shipments to pharmacies and vaccine appointments. The province says any pharmacy which has had to adjust appointments will reach out to patients directly.
• Alberta opened up appointments for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to everyone eligible in Phase 2A on March 19 after starting the rollout on March 15. This means the following can book appointments:
  • Anyone born in 1956 or earlier.
  • First Nations, Métis and Inuit people born in 1971 or earlier. (Those living on-reserve or on-settlement should book through a local clinic.) 
• Staff and residents of licensed seniors supportive living facilities not included in Phase 1. (They will receive a direct email from AHS with a unique link to go online and book their immunization appointments.)
• How to book if you're eligible:
  • Participating pharmacies: Now booking all eligible ages, no matter the birth year.
  • Alberta Health Services (online or 811)
  • First Nations, Métis and Inuit people born in 1971 or earlier who are living on reserve or on settlement should book through a local clinic.
• The rate of vaccination is 11,024.5 doses per 100,000 population.
• Vaccinations for those 75 and older (born in 1946 or earlier) are still available at those pharmacies as well as at immunization sites operated by AHS across the province. 

• The Alberta government laid out its plan on March 15 for Phase 2B of the vaccine rollout, which will be for people born 2005 to 1957 (ages 16 to 64) with certain high-risk underlying health issues like chronic conditions affecting certain organs and those suffering from cancer. For the full list of health conditions see here. It's expected that the timeline will be between April and June, but it will depend on supply.
• The government says Phase 2C of the rollout will include health-care professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and support staff. As well, designated support persons for those living in continuing care will also become eligible in the stage.
• If shipments arrive as scheduled, the province says all adults in the province will receive their first dose by the end of June.
• More than 250 pharmacies across the province are also able to administer the COVID-19 vaccines.

The latest on AstraZeneca-Oxford/Covishield vaccine:

• As of March 10, Alberta began offering the AstraZeneca-Oxford/Covishield vaccine as an option for adults who do not have a severe chronic illness in a staggered rollout to Albertans born 1957 to 1971 and First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) persons born 1972 to 1976.
• However, not everyone in those age ranges was immediately eligible: the province staggered the rollout starting with the oldest and expanding it a birth year or two at a time depending on vaccine supply.
• The province received only 58,500 doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford/Covishield in its first shipment of the vaccine. As of Sunday afternoon, Hinshaw said more than 92 per cent of the province's current supply of AstraZeneca-Oxford and Covishield vaccine doses had been booked.
• Given the dwindling supply, the province shut down online bookings, with limited appointments available only by calling Health Link at 811.
• The government says m​​​ore appointments and birth years will be added as more AstraZeneca supply becomes available.
• The U.S. has announced plans to send 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to Canada, which could arrive by the end of the month. Plans are still being worked out.
• Healthy Albertans in those age ranges can also choose to wait until Phase 2D begins in May to receive the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they don't want the AstraZeneca vaccine. However, AHS stressed that AstraZeneca has been proven to be highly effective in preventing serious illness and death in adults 18 to 64.

The latest on COVID-19 rapid testing:

• Another two million free rapid testing kits are now being offered to public, private and not-for-profit employers and service providers, the Alberta government said Tuesday
• The announcement follows the earlier rollout of more than 1.2 million kits to long-term care facilities, schools, outbreak sites, hospitals, homeless shelters and industries across the province.
• Any employer or service provider can apply for the free test kits, the news release said.
• A COVID-19 rapid testing pilot project to screen students and staff without symptoms is beginning at two northeast Calgary schools:
  • Testing began March 18 at Rundle School for Grades K-6.
  • Testing began March 22 at St. John XXIII School for Grades K-9.
• Canadian energy giant Suncor will focus its COVID-19 rapid-testing efforts on hundreds of fly-in, fly-out workers that will be conducting planned maintenance in northern Alberta over the coming spring and summer.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is the detailed regional breakdown of active cases as reported Wednesday by the province:

• Calgary zone: 2,910, up from 2,724 (51,713 recovered).
• Edmonton zone: 1,455, up from 1,378 (53,574 recovered).
• North zone: 788, down from 789 (12,459 recovered).
• South zone: 784, up from 800 (6,765 recovered).
• Central zone: 581, up from 578 (10,416 recovered).
• Unknown: 16, down up 11 (113 recovered).

Find out which neighbourhoods or communities have the most cases, how hard people of different ages have been hit, the ages of people in hospital, how Alberta compares to other provinces and more in: Here are the latest COVID-19 statistics for Alberta — and what they mean

You can see active cases by local health area on the following interactive map. Scroll, zoom and click on the map for more information.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories:

• For the latest on what's happening in the rest of Canada and around the world, see here.