Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday, Aug. 19

The latest COVID-19 numbers:

• Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, has apologized for failing to release public health data used to justify controversial changes in the province's pandemic response. She had planned to share modelling used to shape Alberta's new COVID-19 protocols during an information meeting Wednesday with primary-care providers but apologized and said the province needed longer than she expected to compile the information. Last week, amid escalating infection rates, the province walked back plans to lift a slate of COVID-19 public health measures on Aug. 16 — including mandatory isolation, public testing and mandatory masking on transit. Those protocols will now remain in place for another six weeks. While some of the protocol changes were delayed, many pandemic restrictions were eased on July 29. Quarantine for close contacts is no longer mandatory, but recommended. Contact tracers no longer notify close contacts. Asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended.
• Alberta reported 817 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday.
• COVID-19 public health measures that had been set to expire Aug. 16 — like mandatory isolation, public testing and mandatory masking on transit — will remain in place for another six weeks, as new daily cases surge by the hundreds and non-ICU hospitalizations trend higher than expected.
• There were 6,367 active cases across Alberta, an increase of 434 from the previous data update.
• There were 198 people being treated in hospital for COVID in Alberta. Of those, 43 were in intensive care units.
• The positivity rate was 8.27 per cent.
• Four more deaths were reported. There have been a total of 2,342 deaths.
• The R-value, which represents the number of people infected by each infected person, was 1.25 (with a confidence interval of 1.2-1.31) as of last Monday. 
• 233,539 Albertans are considered to have recovered from COVID-19.
• Alberta Health Services says a woman considered dead for 30 minutes due to a blood clot related to COVID-19 was brought back to life by Calgary physicians using a new device called the Indigo Lightning CAT12, in what they believe was its first use in Canada.
• A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital. On Wednesday, Alberta Health Services said the outbreak consists of 15 staff and physicians who have tested positive, as well as five patients — all of whom were at the hospital for non-COVID health reasons — who acquired COVID-19 while in hospital. 
• Hinshaw noted on Twitter that 76.3 per cent of people admitted to regular hospital beds were unvaccinated and 17.5 per cent partially vaccinated.
• Of those in the ICU, 90.7 per cent were unvaccinated and 4.7 per cent were partially vaccinated.
• Alberta provincial data indicates that, from July 1 to Aug. 9, roughly 69 per cent of the COVID-19 infections were among unvaccinated people, compared with 19 per cent who were partially vaccinated and 12 per cent who were fully vaccinated.

The latest on restrictions and reopenings:

• As of last week, the province said the following measures would remain in place until Sept. 27:
  • Mandatory masking orders in publicly accessible transit, taxis and ride-shares. This includes school buses.
  • Mandatory isolation for 10 days for those with COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test result.
  • Testing at assessment centres for any symptomatic individual.
• Hinshaw also announced last week that the province's back-to-school guidelines would not mandate in-class masks. However she said school officials have the authority to put in local measures, like physical distancing, if they see fit.
• As of July 29, the following changes went into effect:
  • Quarantine for close contacts is no longer mandatory but recommended. 
  • Contact tracers no longer notify close contacts. Contact tracers will continue to investigate high-risk settings like continuing care facilities. 
  • Asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended. 

WATCH | Alberta's top health official extends public health measures: 

Alberta delays plans to remove COVID-19 measures amid rising cases

3 years ago

Duration 2:04

Alberta is walking back its timeline to change more COVID-19 restrictions. The province's chief medical officer says it's too soon to remove isolation requirements and testing after hearing weeks of public outcry.

• The Calgary Board of Education announced Thursday it was reopening registration for its online learning option because of the continued uncertainty over the COVID-19 pandemic. The school board originally closed registration for CBe-learn on April 23 and didn't plan to allow further registrations.
• The Calgary Board of Education said Wednesday it would require masks for K-12 students and staff this fall. 
• At the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge, anyone not fully vaccinated will have to undergo regular rapid testing as of Sept. 1, the schools announced in a joint statement Tuesday morning.
• The three schools are also requiring mask-wearing in public indoor areas where physical distancing is not possible.
• Masks will be mandatory in classes, labs and indoor gatherings of 20 or more people when nearly all faculty and staff return this fall to Mount Royal University in Calgary.
• At Calgary's SAIT campus, masks are required for all indoor spaces effective Aug. 23. Bow Valley College will require masks indoors as of Aug. 19.
• The U.S. land border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Aug. 21, according to a renewal order issued by the American government. The U.S. government said while vaccination rates have improved, opening the land border to non-essential travel still poses too high a risk.

The latest on vaccines:

• The Alberta government says it expects to have a decision by next month about whether to offer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to people with compromised immune systems, after U.S. health officials recommended the extra protection be made available to all Americans.
• 58.1 per cent of all Albertans are fully vaccinated against COVID, and 65.6 per cent have received at least one dose (or 77.1 per cent of those eligible). 
• Starting Sept. 7, temporary COVID-19 vaccine clinics will be set up in schools for students in grades 7 to 12 and for teachers and staff. 
• Nationally, 72.1 per cent of the total population have received at least one dose. In Ontario, that figure is 72.1 per cent, and in Quebec it's 74.6 per cent.
• The federal government will soon require that all public servants be vaccinated — a mandate that will also be implemented by Crown corporations and other federally regulated businesses in the coming weeks.
• Starting soon, all commercial air travellers and passengers on inter-provincial trains and large marine vessels with overnight accommodations (such as cruise ships) will have to be vaccinated. Accommodations will be made for "those few who are unable to be vaccinated," such as testing and screening.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is the detailed regional breakdown of active cases as reported by the province on Thursday.

• Calgary zone: 2,113.
• Edmonton zone: 1,861.
• South zone: 887.
• North zone: 937.
• Central zone: 551.
• Unknown: 18.

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