COVID-19 info for Albertans

• COVID-19 vaccines are safe and help prevent you from getting infected and protect you from getting severely sick if you do get it.
• All Albertans 5 and older can book an appointment now.
• Some people most at risk of severe illness can get a third dose.
• Working Albertans can access 3 hours of paid, job-protected leave to get each dose of the vaccine.

Learn more: Vaccines and records with QR codes

Why get an influenza vaccine

An influenza vaccine (flu shot) won’t prevent COVID-19 but it will reduce your chances of getting sick with influenza (flu) or spreading it to others.

All Albertans 6 months and older are encouraged to get an influenza vaccine. It’s especially important for seniors, pregnant women, Indigenous people and people with chronic health conditions as they have a higher risk of severe complications.

By keeping influenza counts low, we can:

• help prevent people from being infected with COVID-19 and influenza at the same time
• make sure our health-care system has capacity to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic
• let health-care workers focus on treating people with other illnesses and injuries
• reduce outbreaks in care facilities

The vaccine is available free of charge starting October 18.

Where to get an influenza vaccine

• Alberta Health Services (AHS) public health clinics/sites for individuals 6 months to 4 years (and their families).
• Some doctors’ offices for individuals 6 months old and older.
• Participating pharmacies if 5 years old or older.

How to book an appointment

• Book an influenza vaccine appointment online.
• Phone Health Link at 811 for help booking multiple appointments for children and family members.
• Check if your community pharmacy is offering drop-in appointments.
• Phone your physician’s office to see if they’re offering influenza vaccine appointments.

How to get vaccinated safely

• Stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19, isolate and complete the AHS online assessment.
• Follow safety protocols: wear a mask, wash your hands, stay 2 metres apart when possible.
• Make an appointment at your pharmacy, physician clinic or public health site and arrive as close to the appointment time as you can.
• Fill out forms online when possible.

Staff and volunteers at clinics and venues offering influenza vaccination must follow their employer’s policies for COVID-19 screening.

• Influenza and COVID-19 Immunization: Guidance for the 2021-22 season

In addition to getting vaccinated, practicing good hygiene habits can protect you and those around you from spreading COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses.

• Stay home if you are feeling sick.
• Wash or sanitize your hands often.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Avoid touching your face.

Mandatory restriction - Effective Sept 16.

Indoor social gatherings

• Vaccinated: Indoor private social gatherings are limited to a single household plus one other household to a maximum of 10 vaccine-eligible, vaccinated people and no restrictions on children under 12.
• Unvaccinated: Indoor social gatherings are not permitted for vaccine-eligible but unvaccinated people.

Outdoor social gatherings

• Outdoor private social gatherings limited to a maximum of 200 people, with 2 metre physical distancing at all times.

Learn more about gathering limits and other public health actions.

COVID-19 symptoms are similar to influenza and other respiratory illnesses and can range from mild to severe. Even people with mild symptoms can spread COVID-19 to others.

If you have any symptom, stay home and take the online assessment to arrange testing.

Isolation and quarantine requirements are in place for individuals with COVID-19 symptoms.

COVID-19 is transmitted though tiny droplets of liquid produced by people who have the virus. The virus spreads by:

• breathing in air that contains infected droplets from people coughing, sneezing, talking, laughing, and singing
• touching objects or surfaces the virus has landed on and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth (bath towels, kitchen utensils, door knobs, etc.)

People who have COVID-19 can spread it to others before they start to feel sick.

COVID-19 does not appear to transmit like measles through airborne transmission, but there may be circumstances that raise the risk of aerosol transmission. Individuals and businesses should apply mitigation strategies where these risks exist.

We think 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.

Variants of concern spread more easily than the original COVID-19 strain, which could result in more severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths.

Alberta is monitoring for variants of concern. The B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant is the dominant strain in our province.

Symptoms in variant cases are the same as the original virus, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, and sore throat.

Learn more about COVID-19 variants

A one-time payment of $2,000 to eligible Alberta small and medium-sized businesses, cooperatives and non-profit organizations is now available for those participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program.

Learn more about the Restrictions Exemption Program Implementation Grant.

Online training is available at no cost to employers and their employees to help them assess and manage challenging situations that may arise during their daily operations.

The training includes information that workers need to keep themselves and customers safe while implementing COVID-19 safety requirements, such requesting proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test, physical distancing or masking.

Employers must enroll for the training on behalf of their employees. After enrolling, employers will receive an access code via email to share with their employees.

Learn more and enroll in REP safety training.

The Alberta Jobs Now Program second application intake period will open on November 10 with changes to help employers meet their labour needs and provide more Albertans with the skills to find successful careers.

Private and non-profit businesses can apply for funding to offset the cost of hiring and training Albertans into new or vacant jobs.

Employers can get up to:

• $25,000 for each new hire, or
• $37,500 for each new employee with a disability

Workers cannot apply for the program directly, but can let potential employers know they can apply for the Alberta Jobs Now program if they hire you.

Learn more about Alberta Jobs Now

All working Albertans can access 3 hours of paid, job-protected leave to get each dose of the vaccine.

Financial support programs are available to help people experiencing unemployment and those who cannot work because they are sick, need to isolate, or are caring for someone in isolation.

See all federal benefit programs

Businesses and self-employed people may be able to access federal supports to help with COVID-19-related challenges. For the latest information on federal programs, see the Government of Canada’s resources below.

• Find federal support based on your business needs.
• See list of all federal business support programs.
   

The COVID-19 pandemic can have a significant impact on mental health.

Online resources are available if you need advice on handling stressful situations or ways to talk to children.

• Help in Tough Times (AHS)
• Mental health and coping with COVID-19 (CDC)
• Talking with children about COVID-19 (CDC)
• COVID-19 information for young kids and students (PDF, 122 KB)

If you need to talk, call the 24-hour help lines:

• Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642
• Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322

If you or someone you know is at risk of family or sexual violence, help is available.

Family violence

• Call our 24-hour Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 to get anonymous help in over 170 languages.

• Chat live online with the Family Violence Info Line for support in English (8 am to 8 pm)

Sexual violence

• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence can provide assistance in finding sexual assault support services (9 am to 9 pm daily):
  • Call 1-866-403-8000 | 215+ languages
  • Text 1-866-403-8000 | English
  • Chat online | English

Other resources

• Family violence during COVID-19 information sheet (multiple languages)
• Find information on shelter and financial supports
• Learn how to recognize and prevent family violence

Children are at a higher risk for neglect and abuse during times of uncertainty and crisis.

Call the 24-hour child abuse hotline at 1-800-387-KIDS (5437) if you think a child is being abused, neglected or sexually exploited.

Learn the signs of abuse