Check against delivery.
Thank you, Minister, and good afternoon everyone.
I would like to recognize the efforts many Albertans have made to bring case numbers and hospitalizations down, bringing us to a place where more activities can be opened.
But, as mentioned, we are not yet in the clear. As I have said before, each time we ease restrictions, we increase opportunities for COVID-19 to spread if we do not continue to follow the important preventive measures required for each activity.
So I would like to remind Albertans that easing restrictions does not mean that we can be less vigilant.
When we continue to follow all measures in place, we protect one another, we protect our health care system and we protect the progress that we have made thus far.
Turning to today’s update, we have now administered about 297,600 doses of vaccine and more than 91,000 Albertans are fully vaccinated with two doses.
It’s important to remember that protection from any vaccines, including those for COVID-19, doesn’t happen overnight. It takes approximately two to three weeks for them to be effective.
This means that if someone is exposed to the virus in the first week or two after immunization, they would not yet be protected and they could still get sick.
This is not a failure of the vaccine, or the vaccine causing COVID-19 infection, it is just a matter of unfortunate timing.
This reality makes following the public health measures very important, even for those who have been immunized.
Over the last 24 hours, we have identified 278 new cases of COVID-19, and completed about 5,500 tests.
This puts our positivity rate at about 5.4%.
We have identified 6 new cases of the variant of concern, bringing our total to 659.
Our R-value province wide is 0.95. It is promising to have an RT-value below 1, but we must all continue to do our part to move from the plateau we are seeing, to a continued downwards trend.
There are currently active alerts or outbreaks in 251 schools, or about 10% of the schools in the province.
Currently these schools have a combined total of 961 cases since January 11th.
There are 254 people in hospital for COVID-19 treatment, including 36 in the ICU.
Sadly, 6 new deaths were reported to Alberta Health in the last 24 hours.
Each life lost reminds us about the serious nature of this virus and the need to protect one another from it.
As always, I extend my sympathies to all who are mourning a loss no matter the cause.
With the promising developments that we’ve had with vaccines over the past couple of weeks, I know there is a lot of information for Albertans to take in.
And many questions about who can sign up when.
I would like to provide clear information on where we are at with Alberta’s vaccine roll-out.
First, I want to clarify what types of facilities Alberta Health Services is offering immunizations at, as we’ve received many questions about what qualifies as a congregate living facility.
AHS is currently arranging immunizations for all residents in retirement centres, lodges, supportive living and other congregate living facilities with communal resident services such as group dining facilities, where at least one resident is 75 or older.
AHS has contacted these facilities directly and operators do not need to reach out before they are contacted.
Settings such as work camps, condo complexes for those over a certain age, or retirement communities are not considered congregate living facilities for the purposes of the immunization program.
Individuals in these types of settings need to book their own vaccine appointments through AHS or a participating pharmacy when they are in an eligible group.
I would also like to remind all eligible seniors, aged 75 and older, who haven’t yet booked their appointments, that there are still spots available at participating pharmacies in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer.
You can find a list of these participating pharmacies at Alberta Blue Cross’s website.
So if you haven’t booked your vaccination yet, I would encourage you to do so as soon as possible.
I would also like to provide clarity today about two upcoming opportunities for booking vaccine.
First of all, signing up for the Astra Zeneca vaccine, is going to be happening later this week, and I know many Albertans have questions.
Beginning on Wednesday, we will begin to offer the vaccine to Albertans aged 64, and First Nations, Metis and Inuit individuals aged 49 who do not have severe chronic illnesses and we will offer to younger individuals if the supply allows.
As we will only receive 58,500 doses of Astra-Zeneca this week, we cannot book everyone at once as there are approximately 400,000 Albertans in that age group.
This is why we will begin opening bookings based on the year you were born. This means that on March 10th, Albertans born in 1957, those who are turning 64 this year, can contact Alberta Health Services online or can call 811 to book an appointment.
As well, any First Nations, Metis or Inuit individual born in 1972, or who is turning 49 this year, can contact 811 to book an appointment.
Please do not contact pharmacies to receive AstraZeneca as they are not carrying this vaccine at this time.
Once supplies become available for pharmacies of this particular vaccine, we will let you know.
We will expand to other birth years one at a time if supply of AstraZeneca is available.
As I said, this is a fairly large age group so it is likely we will not be able to offer vaccine to all those aged 50 to 64 right now.
Everyone will eventually have a chance to be immunized, whether sooner with AstraZeneca or later with Pfizer or Moderna when available.
I know many are eager, but it is important to be patient. If you are not eligible for AstraZeneca this week, please do not call 811 or try to book online.
This would just create longer waits on hold and online for everybody.
Finally, the second opportunity coming up next week – I know that many people are eagerly anticipating the start of Phase 2A.
Bookings will start for this phase next Monday. Please do not try booking until this starts.
When you do, there will be two ways to book:
Pharmacies will be able to book appointments right away for all those aged 65 to 74, and First Nations, Metis and Inuit people age 50 and older, no matter what year you were born.
Starting next week, 156 additional pharmacies will be available to book appointments outside of Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary, for a total of 258 pharmacies administering vaccines across the province.
Please refer to the Alberta Blue Cross website for information on participating pharmacies near you.
For AHS appointments, to prevent the system from experiencing a surge of visits, they will begin booking online by birth year only – starting with anyone born in 1947, and anyone born in 1962 or earlier who is a First Nations, Metis or Inuit individual living off-reserve or off-settlement.
Each day following, an additional year will be added for booking purposes. People never lose their eligibility, so you can always book later than the start date, just not earlier.
First Nations and Metis people, aged 50 and older, who live on-reserve or on settlement will be able to access vaccine in a similar way to Phase 1 within a First Nation or Metis settlement.
Again, this all starts the week of March 15, so we cannot open appointments at this time to that age group.
I am encouraged that so many are eager to get a vaccine.
But I want to stress, that we need to be patient, and that there will be enough for everyone who wants to be immunized.
A year into the pandemic, I know everyone is tired of COVID-19 restrictions.
Even though we are tired, it is important to remember that widespread immunization is within our sights, in just four months every adult Albertan who wants to be immunized will receive their first dose.
Until that happens, all that is standing between another wave of COVID-19 moving into our hospitals is our actions.
We are so close to getting there. We just need to hang on a little while longer and continue to do our part for the health and wellbeing of all Albertans.
Thank you and we’ll be happy to take questions.