COVID-19 info for Albertans

All Albertans are encouraged to speak with their primary care provider or public health practitioner for guidance on immunizations and what options are best for individuals and families. 

• Learn more about immunization and routine immunization schedule.
   

Practicing good hygiene habits can protect you and those around you from spreading COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses:

• stay home if you are feeling sick
• wash or sanitize your hands often
• cover your coughs and sneezes
• avoid touching your face
• clean and disinfect surfaces regularly (for example, counters, doorknobs)

Crowded or poorly ventilated indoor spaces can increase the risk of spreading respiratory viruses.
You can help prevent the spread by:

• opening windows when possible
• ensuring ventilation systems are maintained
• limiting time spent in crowded indoor places

Wearing a mask in public can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. Wearing a mask can help reduce your risk of infection and help protect people from being exposed to your germs, especially those at high risk of severe outcomes. 

• Individuals who are at higher risk for severe outcomes from respiratory virus infections (for example, people who are immunocompromised) may want to wear a mask while indoors with others.

Learn more about the Guidance for masks for the general public.
 

Isolation helps prevent the spread by reducing the number of people you could infect by staying home and avoiding others.

• If you have respiratory virus symptoms or test positive for any respiratory virus you should stay home until:
  • your symptoms have improved and
  • you are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
    • When you are well enough to resume normal activities, it is recommended that you wear a mask when you are around others in indoor settings for 5 days, especially when in contact with anyone at high risk of severe outcomes.
• Anyone who is feeling unwell, regardless of whether they have tested positive for a respiratory virus or not, are advised to avoid visiting acute care or continuing care settings except when necessary (for example, to receive emergency care).
• Alberta Health Services (AHS) employees experiencing respiratory virus symptoms should follow their workplace policy.
• Health care workers who do not work for AHS and are experiencing respiratory virus symptoms should:
  • stay home from work until symptoms have improved and are free of fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
    • When the healthcare worker is well enough to return to work it is recommended, they wear a mask for 5 days as it may still be possible to spread the infection. This will help to protect patients and clients who may be a high risk of severe outcomes.
  • practice excellent hand hygiene
• Hospitalized patients or residents in congregate care facilities or living sites should follow isolation recommendations directed by AHS Infection Prevention and Control or the facility.

COVID-19 is transmitted through tiny respiratory droplets or aerosols produced by people who have the virus.

• The virus spreads most commonly by breathing in air that contains infected droplets from people coughing, sneezing, talking, laughing, and singing, or when the infected droplets come into direct contact with another person’s nose, mouth or eyes.
• The virus may also spread by touching objects or surfaces the virus has landed on and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
• People who have COVID-19 can spread it to others before they start to feel sick.

COVID-19 does not appear to regularly transmit like measles through long-range transmission, but there are circumstances that raise the risk of aerosol transmission, such as crowded or poorly ventilated indoor spaces where people are engaging in activities like singing or high intensity exercise.

The virus generally only survives for a few hours on a surface or object, but it may be possible for it to survive several days under some conditions.

COVID-19 can cause a wide range of symptoms that can be mild to severe. You should isolate at home if you have any of the following symptoms:

• fever or chills
• runny or stuffy nose
• sore throat
• cough
• difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• nausea or diarrhea
• loss or altered sense of taste/smell

Headache, fatigue and joint or muscle pain are also common symptoms of COVID-19. Many of these symptoms can also be caused by other viruses. 

If you feel unwell with respiratory virus symptoms, you should stay home to prevent spreading illness, regardless of which virus is causing your symptoms.

• If you have mild symptoms, follow advice on how to care for yourself and others at home. Do not visit an emergency department for a PCR test.
• If you have severe symptoms, call 911 immediately if you experience difficulty breathing, severe chest pain, feelings of confusion, or loss of consciousness.
• If you are unsure when to seek medical attention, use the Alberta Health Services tool or call Health Link 811 for advice.

Individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are high-risk may be eligible to receive outpatient treatment. This treatment helps to prevent high risk patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms from progressing to severe disease if taken shortly after symptom onset.

• Learn more about outpatient treatment options or call Health Link 811 for more information.

The Federal Government is no longer supplying the provinces and territories with free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests.

COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for personal use may be purchased through some pharmacies or online retailers.

How to test

When using a respiratory virus rapid test, please follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

COVID-19 rapid tests work best when used for people who have symptoms. It is no longer recommended to use a rapid test on someone who does not have any respiratory virus symptoms.

Laboratory-based COVID-19 PCR testing can be ordered by a health care provider (for example: physician, nurse practitioner) and is available for:

• people at risk of severe outcomes if required to support their clinical care
• those living in specific high-risk settings for outbreak management purposes

Your health care provider will determine the best testing option.

Wastewater monitoring is one of many tools in understanding the overall burden of infection in a community and provides a broad picture of infection in a community.

The Alberta Wastewater Surveillance Program is a collaboration between the University of Calgary, University of Alberta, Alberta Precision Laboratories, and Alberta Health.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been demonstrated to be present in the feces of a significant proportion of infected individuals, and individuals infected with COVID-19 may pass the virus in their feces, as such wastewater can provide an indication of infection trends in a community.

• The wastewater surveillance data for the province can be viewed on the Alberta COVID-19 data dashboard.

• Health Canada has a thorough approval process to make sure all the vaccines are safe.
• Updated mRNA vaccines that offer better protection against the latest COVID-19 variants are available for individuals 6 months and older.
• Find the latest approved vaccines in Canada.
• Currently only mRNA vaccines are available in Canada. There are no non-mRNA options. 

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 6 months of age and older will expire June 17, 2025. After this date, only Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available for eligible individuals 12 years of age and older.

Other considerations:

• Most people who are eligible can be safely immunized against COVID-19, although a very small number of people who have severe allergies to parts of the vaccine may need to speak to their health care provider about options.
   

• COVID-19 vaccines are authorized by Health Canada for children 6 months of age and older.
• Refer to the indicated COVID-19 vaccine doses and schedules by health status, age group, and immunization history.
• The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends eligible children be immunized.
• Most COVID-19 cases in children are mild, but some children can get very sick, have long-lasting symptoms (Long COVID), or complications such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

• Individuals 6 months of age and older can receive at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
• Individuals with eligible immunocompromising conditions may benefit from one or more doses of vaccine. Please refer to the details indicated in Table 3.
• Minors under the age of 18 require verbal or written consent from a parent or guardian to be immunized.

On April 28, 2025, the following individuals who are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 may receive a biannual dose of COVID-19 vaccine, if it has been at least 3 months from a previous COVID-19 vaccine dose:

• individuals 65 years of age and older
• adults 18 years of age and older who reside in continuing care homes and senior supportive living accommodations
• individuals 6 months of age and older who have certain moderate to severe immunocompromising conditions
• First Nations, Métis, and Inuit individuals who are 6 months of age and older, no matter where they live 

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 6 months of age and older will expire June 17, 2025. After this date, only Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available for eligible individuals 12 years of age and older.

Individuals who do not fall within the above categories are not eligible for an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose and are considered up to date if they have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. 

For more information on schedules and additional doses, refer to the COVID-19 vaccine schedule. 
 

• For most individuals, an appointment can be booked if it has been at least 3 months since your last COVID-19 vaccine dose. This does not mean that Albertans are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine dose every 3 months.
• For recommendations on spacing post-infection, call health Link (811), or ask your healthcare provider.
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients and CAR T-cell therapy recipients are recommended to consult with their physician regarding COVID-19 vaccine spacing.
• It is recommended that COVID-19 vaccine be delayed for those who have tested positive for COVID-19 (by PCR or rapid antigen test). For more information, refer to Table 4 for details.
• Check when to book your appointment.
• Albertans 5 years of age and older and their families are encouraged to book their appointment at a community pharmacy. Appointments for children under 5 years of age and their families are available through AHS clinics.
• Book online (pharmacy or AHS clinic)
• Find a community pharmacy
• Call Health Link at 811
• Most pharmacies accept walk-in appointments for individuals 5 years of age and older. 

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 6 months of age and older will expire June 17, 2025. After this date, only Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available for eligible individuals 12 years of age and older.

• You should not get the vaccine if you have a serious allergy (anaphylaxis) to polyethylene glycol (PEG) which is in COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. PEG can be found in some cosmetics, skin care products, laxatives, cough syrups and bowel preparation products for colonoscopy. PEG can be an additive in some processed foods and drinks as well, but no cases of anaphylaxis to PEG in foods and drinks have been reported.
• Speak with your health care provider if you had anaphylaxis after a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or if you have had anaphylaxis with an unknown cause.
• COVID-19 vaccines do not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.
• Discuss any concerns you have about the COIVD-19 vaccines with your primary health care provider or public health expert. 
   

• Common reactions to the vaccines may include soreness, redness, swelling and itchiness in the arm where the vaccine was given.
  • For some people, these reactions may show up 8 or more days after getting the vaccine.
• Other reactions may include tiredness, headache, fever, chills, muscle or joint soreness, swollen lymph nodes under the armpit, nausea, and vomiting.
• Babies and young children may be irritable, sleepy and have a decreased appetite. These reactions are mild and generally last one to 2 days.
• If you have concerns about any symptoms you develop after receiving the vaccine, speak with your health care provider or call 8-1-1 for advice.
• Rare cases of inflammation of the heart (myocarditis and pericarditis) have been reported after getting the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. These were most often seen:
  • after a second dose of the vaccine when the time between doses was less than 8 weeks
  • in males 12-29 years of age
  • with a higher dose of the Moderna vaccine
• Overall, serious side effects from immunization are rare. The Alberta respiratory virus dashboard provides details about the number and types of adverse events following both COVID-19 and influenza vaccine administration.
• It is important to stay in the clinic for 15 minutes after getting any vaccine. There is an extremely rare possibility of a life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
• This happens in less than one in a million people who get the vaccine.
  • Symptoms may include hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the throat, tongue, or lips. If this reaction occurs, your health care provider is prepared to treat it. Emergency treatment includes administration of epinephrine (adrenaline) and transfer by ambulance to the nearest emergency department.
  • If symptoms develop after you leave the clinic, call 9-1-1 .
  • Always report serious or unexpected reactions to your health care provider or to the central AEFI team at AHS.
  • In Alberta, the reporting of adverse events following immunization is mandatory under the province’s Immunization Regulation. 

Arrive prepared:

• Get ready for your appointment by bringing your identification, wear a short-sleeved shirt and arrive a few minutes early.

During your appointment:

• Check in with your provider and show your identification.
• Ask all your questions about the vaccine, possible side effects and how to manage these.
• Receive your vaccine dose.
• Remain onsite for 15 minutes after your immunization.

After your appointment:

• Review the after-care information given to you from your healthcare provider.
   

• General guidance for COVID-19 and other respiratory infections
• Guidance for masks for general public

Assessing your risk

• You are encouraged to assess and manage your personal risk. It is reasonable to continue using precautions that serve your needs.
• When assessing your personal risk, it is important to consider your setting, individual health and wellness factors, and comfort level.
• Consult your health care provider if you want help assessing your personal risk of severe outcomes or determining your personal risk level.

Factors that lower COVID-19 risk:

• you mostly socialize outdoors, instead of indoors
• you have a small social circle
• you can maintain distancing from other people

If you have personal risk factors for severe outcomes from COVID-19 you may consider additional precautions such as:

• avoiding or limiting time spent in crowded indoor places
• minimizing close contact with anyone showing cold-like symptoms
• wearing a mask in indoor places

All Chief Medical Officer of Health orders specific to continuing care were lifted on June 30, 2022.

• Alberta Health Services provides infection prevention and control guidance and requirements in its standard operating policies and procedures.
• The Government of Alberta remains committed to becoming better prepared for future pandemics as well as improved management of other communicable disease outbreaks such as seasonal influenza. 
• Work is underway to address the concerns raised by the Auditor General in the COVID-19 in Continuing Care Facilities report.
• There are also other significant efforts underway to improve the provision of care to seniors and others who require continuing care supports, drawing on recommendations in the Facility Based Continuing Care review, and the Advancing Palliative and End-of-Life Care in Alberta report.

• Travellers should check to see if travel measures are in effect for their destination.
• Visit Canada's Travel Advice and Advisory website for more information.
• All travellers can return or travel to Canada from an international location, regardless of vaccination status. No pre-entry or arrival COVID-19 tests are required.
• Visit Canada’s COVID-19 travel webpage for more information.

• AHS COVID-19 vaccine info
• AHS Commitment to Comfort – Overcoming needle fear
• Government of Canada – COVID-19 vaccines for children

• Vaccines approved by Health Canada
• How vaccines are developed (video)
• Vaccine safety, concerns and side effects

• Facts about COVID-19 vaccines
• Pregnant and breastfeeding Albertans
• COVID-19 and people with disabilities
• Myocarditis and pericarditis following COVID-19 vaccines
• ScienceUpFirst

• COVID-19 vaccine policy