COVID-19 info for Albertans

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).
• Health care workers experiencing respiratory virus symptoms should follow their workplace policy.
• Hospitalized patients or residents in congregate care facilities or living sites should follow isolation recommendations directed by Acute Care Alberta and/or Assisted Living Alberta’s 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.

Your health care provider will determine the best testing option.

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

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 Ministry of Preventative and Primary Health Services.

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.

COVID-19 vaccine will be made available to Albertans in 2 phases, starting with the highest risk groups before being made available to a wider range of Albertans. Eligible populations can access the vaccine from the time their phase starts until the end of the season or as long as the vaccine is available.

Individuals who are not considered to be at the highest of risk of severe illness from COVID-19 may still be able to access COVID-19 vaccine. A $100 administrative fee will apply.

Eligibility by each phase

Eligible health care workers

• Individuals actively registered with one of our colleges.
• Union members (for example, UNA, HSAA, AUNP, AUPE, CUPE) as well as individuals who work in patient-facing settings such as:
  • hospital staff (including students in health disciplines, contract workers and volunteers)
  • staff in community health settings (for example, clinical labs, home care, shelters)
  • medical first responders
  • staff in continuing care and supportive living
  • disability support workers and staff working in recovery settings
  • health care aides on the provincial registry
  • students training in facilities such as hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, continuing care homes and supportive living accommodations

Eligible underlying medical conditions

• cerebrovascular disease
• chronic liver diseases
• chronic lung diseases
• chronic kidney diseases
• cystic fibrosis
• diabetes mellitus, type 1 and type 2
• disabilities (for example, Down syndrome, learning, intellectual, or developmental disabilities; ADHD; cerebral palsy; congenital disabilities; spinal cord injuries)
• heart conditions (for example, cardiomyopathies, coronary artery disease, heart failure, etc.)
• mental health disorders (limited to: mood disorders, including depression; schizophrenia, spectrum disorders)
• obesity
• pregnancy
• tuberculosis

Eligible immunocompromising conditions

• cancer (currently receiving treatment)
• HIV infection
• primary immunodeficiency diseases
• solid organ or blood stem cell transplant
• use of corticosteroids, other immunosuppressive medication or CAR T-cell therapy

• Albertans can pre-order their COVID-19 and influenza vaccines for the 2026-2027 season using the Alberta Vaccine Booking System (AVBS). Pre-ordering does not confirm eligibility nor appointment time.
• The pre-order function is intended help reduce waste while providing better data and information to better prepare vaccine supply needs for each season.
• Albertans are not required to use the pre-order system to receive a vaccine. The pre-order tool is intended to support vaccine planning and procurement.

Book online.

• Call Health Link at 811.
• All eligible Albertans living in a First Nation community will also be able to access the COVID-19 vaccine at a public health clinic on reserve.
• 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.

• Find the latest approved vaccines in Canada.
• Currently only mRNA vaccines are available in Canada. There are no non-mRNA options in Canada for 2025-2026 (e.g. Novavax).

• 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.
• 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.
• Always report serious or unexpected reactions to your health care provider or to the central Adverse Event Following Immunization (AEFI) team.
• In Alberta, the reporting of adverse events following immunization is mandatory under the province’s Immunization Regulation.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 vaccine policy