Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Wednesday, Oct. 20

The latest on COVID-19 in Alberta:

• A total of 3,006 Albertans have died of COVID, with 18 new deaths reported Wednesday. 
• Of the 18 deaths reported, 72 per cent were unvaccinated, the chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, tweeted Wednesday. 
• Alberta reported 786 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday out of 12,114 tests. 
• The positivity rate was 6.7 per cent.
• The total number of active cases in Alberta is 10,824.
• Alberta has seen a drop in known active COVID-19 cases since the start of October, when there were 20,215. But federal data shows Alberta still leads the country by a large margin.
• Hinshaw tweeted Wednesday that there are now 928 people in hospital due to COVID-19. Of the 725 non-ICU patients, 70.7 per cent are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Of the 203 in ICU, 90.1 per cent are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
• Alberta is reporting an R-value below 1. The R-value is the average number of COVID-19 infections transmitted by each diagnosed case.
• An R-value below 1 means transmission is no longer growing. Provincewide, the R-value for Oct. 11 to Oct. 17 was 0.85, with a confidence interval between 0.83 and 0.88. 
• 301,155 Albertans are considered to have recovered from COVID-19.​​​​
• Premier Jason Kenney said Kenney said Tuesday that 75 per cent of intensive care beds in the province were occupied by people infected with COVID-19, which is down from 97 per cent reported just over six weeks ago. But he added, "There are still more COVID patients in hospital today than during the peak of any other wave. It'll take many weeks for this to decline significantly."
• Unlike last Thanksgiving, the premier said, early indications show the number of infections has not spiked after the holiday. "Although we need to keep watching over the next few days, as it's a little too early to see completely the full impact," he said.
• ICU capacity, including 203 additional surge beds, is currently at 75 per cent. Without the additional surge spaces, ICU capacity in Alberta would be at 163 per cent, AHS said.
• Doctors are resuming some surgeries after bookings had been scaled back by 75 per cent. But there is no timeline on when the province will be able to return to normal surgical volumes.
• The Alberta government has released an app to scan and verify QR code vaccine records. The AB COVID Records Verifier app is available to download on Apple and Android devices. 
• Albertans can get their enhanced vaccine records with a QR code online at alberta.ca/CovidRecords.
• Alberta Health Services says that its scientific advisory group has updated its review into using ivermectin to treat COVID-19. AHS said existing studies have problems and the available evidence doesn't deem it safe.
• On Oct.14 , Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health, said Alberta hospitals have seen people with extreme adverse effects after taking ivermectin.

The latest on Alberta's COVID-19 response: ​​​​​​

• About 92 per cent of all staff at Alberta Health Services have submitted proof they have had two doses of COVID-19 vaccinations as required under a policy introduced in August,  AHS president and CEO Dr. Verna Yiu told a news conference Tuesday.
• Seven per cent of staff have yet to submit proof of vaccination, while less than one per cent — about 1,200 staffers — have requested accommodation on medical or religious grounds.
• Yiu said 61 employees have resigned their positions specifically because of the vaccination policy. That includes 31 staffers in clinical roles; 11 of them are registered nurses.

WATCH | AHS CEO says vast majority of AHS workers are fully vaccinated:

AHS CEO breaks down staff vaccination rates

3 years ago

Duration 2:47

Dr. Verna Yiu, president and CEO of Alberta Health Services, says 92 per cent of AHS employees are fully vaccinated and doesn’t believe the vaccination policy will have a significant impact on the ability to provide health care.

• Hinshaw announced new measures for continuing care facilities that start Oct. 25. All visitors will be required to wear a mask in all indoor areas of the building, including in residents' rooms. All residents must also quarantine after returning from a hospital stay of 24 hours or more until they get a negative COVID-19 test result.
• The City of Calgary is opening applications for a new grant program for local business operators, owners and entities that are impacted by the Provincial Restrictions Exemption Program. The Calgary Business Support Grant will give $2,000 per physical permanent premise.
• COVID-19 modelling shows Alberta may have finally reached its pandemic peak, and if the province leaves restrictions in place and continues to increase vaccination rates, infections and hospitalizations will continue to decline.
• The City of Calgary will require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination by Nov. 1. 
• This applies to all City of Calgary employees, regardless of workplace or worksite location, including those who are remote working or have a telework agreement in place.
• The Calgary Catholic School Division board of trustees voted in favour of mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for all employees. 
• The vaccine mandate applies to all all staff, including teachers, educational assistants, support staff, and custodial. 
• The province announced new measures to protect children and youth from COVID-19 on Oct. 5. Contact tracing in schools will be phased in, outbreaks will be declared in schools, and rapid-test kits will be made available for parents to test younger children.
• The Calgary Board of Education will now require mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for employees, volunteers and partners.
• Politicians and staff at the Alberta Legislature will all be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the time the sitting resumes on Oct. 25, government House leader Jason Nixon said Tuesday.
• Alberta public sector workers will soon be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
• The policy, approved by the province's COVID-19 cabinet committee will affect 25,500 provincial employees who must all submit proof of full vaccination by Nov. 30.
• Kenney also said he asked for an inventory of the Johnson and Johnson one-dose vaccine, noting that some vaccine-hesitant Albertans have expressed a willingness to take this version. The Government of Canada has committed to securing the vaccines, but currently have no supply.

WATCH | Premier Jason Kenney announces launch of vaccination proof scanner:

Proof of vaccination scanner launches in Alberta

3 years ago

Duration 1:47

Premier Jason Kenney announced that after Nov. 15, the scannable QR code will become the only acceptable record of vaccination. Health minister Jason Copping encouraged everyone to get their QR code vaccination record.

• Kenney's government imposed a voluntary vaccine passport system that took effect Sept. 20 to combat the fourth wave of COVID-19.
• Operators who are eligible for the program, but opt not to take part, will have to follow measures that include capacity limits and physical distancing.
• A full list of restrictions and exemptions is available on the government's website. 
• Following that announcement, on Sept. 22, Calgary city council approved a bylaw that brings in consistent application of the province's vaccine passport program for many types of businesses in the city. 

The latest on vaccines:

• 66.2 per cent of the province's total population have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, or 77.9 per cent of eligible Albertans.
• Out of the province's total population, 73.4 per cent have received at least one dose, or 86.2 per cent of those eligible.
• Canada-wide, 77.1 per cent of the total population have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 72.2 per cent of the total population are fully vaccinated, according to the CBC's vaccine tracker. Among those eligible, 88.3 per cent have had one dose and 82.8 per cent are fully vaccinated. 
• Alberta has expanded the number of immunocompromised people who are eligible for a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The full list of eligible people can be found on the province's website. 
• In addition, mRNA doses — that's Pfizer or Moderna — are available to Albertans travelling to a jurisdiction that does not accept visitors vaccinated with mixed doses.
• Hinshaw says pregnant people are at high risk of very serious illness and are urging them to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. 

See which regions are being hit hardest:

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

• Edmonton zone: 2,603.
• Calgary zone: 2,773.
• North zone: 2,289.
• Central zone: 2,011.
• South zone: 1,136.
• Unknown: 12.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories: