Check against delivery.
Thank you, Minister and good afternoon, everyone.
Before I get to the data update, I want to provide information on a change being made today to eligibility for early COVID treatment for those at risk of severe outcomes. We have seen that a single dose of vaccine is not protecting people against severe outcomes as well as two or three doses, so beginning today, anyone 55 or older who is unvaccinated or has only had a single dose of vaccine would be eligible for early treatment with either Paxlovid or Sotrovimab.
This means that individuals in this group who have even mild symptoms should access PCR testing as soon as possible so, if they are positive, they can be referred for a conversation with a health care provider on available treatments to lower their risk of severe outcomes.
This is also true of anyone 18 years old and over who has a clinical risk condition like diabetes or heart disease and has either no vaccines or a single dose of a two-dose series.
Finally, anyone 18 or older who has a significant immunocompromising condition like having had a transplant or being on active cancer treatment, is also eligible for early treatment even if they have received all doses of vaccine.
Over the last 24 hours, we have identified 838 new cases of COVID-19 and completed about 2,500 tests.
Our positivity rate for lab-confirmed cases is about 33.9%.
Turning to hospitalizations, there are currently a total of 1,538 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including 123 in the ICU.
Sadly, 14 new deaths were reported to Alberta Health over the past 24 hours.
While I know we are all tired of hearing about COVID, the reality is that it continues to cause severe outcomes and it is important that we factor this into our daily routines.
My condolences are with the loved ones of the people who have died, and with anyone in Alberta who has lost someone important to them no matter the cause.
As of today, only two of the more than 2,500 schools in Alberta are in temporary at-home learning to address operational challenges.
Alberta Education will continue to work with school authorities on school shifts to at-home learning. It is encouraging to see a continuing declining trend – less than one tenth of one percent of schools are now on temporary at-home learning.
School authorities continue to have the flexibility to shift a class or an individual grade to short-term at-home learning to address operational challenges at schools, if needed.
As the Minister mentioned, vaccine appointment bookings opened today for third doses in the primary series for children between the ages of 5 and 11 who have specific, significant immunocompromising conditions and third dose boosters for youth aged 12 to 17 who have underlying health conditions or are First Nations, Metis or Inuit.
As well, adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 with immunocompromising conditions can now receive a fourth dose booster to help increase their protection from COVID-19.
If you are wondering if your child is eligible for an additional dose, I encourage you to review the list of conditions at alberta.ca/vaccine or speak to your healthcare provider. Appointments can be booked online or through the Alberta Vaccine Booking System or by calling 811.
The province is now in a period of transition as we begin to shift from a pandemic response to an endemic one. This is a shift all provinces are undertaking.
As the Minister mentioned, a joint statement by all Chief Medical Officers of Health across Canada was issued yesterday, highlighting the beginning of a move across the country to transition towards an endemic phase of COVID-19.
After nearly two years of requirements to modify the way we have lived, worked and socialized to help reduce transmission of the virus and protect each other from it, it’s going to take time and effort to adjust away from mandates and towards personal risk assessments and actions.
For some Albertans, this transition will seem quick and easy. For others, it will be much more challenging. And for many people it will likely be somewhere in between.
There is no one right way to respond to these changes, so we should expect different responses. Every person’s experience through the pandemic has been unique depending on the challenges they have faced.
COVID risk to individuals and the population is not a binary “on/off or yes/no” state. Some people will continue to be at high risk individually of having a severe outcome should they be infected.
As a population, we will continue in the short-term to be impacted by the COVID patient load on hospitals, which is being managed capably by health care teams, but is not yet back to a baseline state. Also, both as individuals and together as a population, we have all had impacts on our lives from the protective measures that have been necessary to use throughout our various waves.
As we move forward, it will be vital that we find a way to respect each other’s previous experiences, comfort levels and risk context, different as they may be from our own.
This includes seeking to understand and provide space for actions of others – especially if they are taking different precautions than the ones we are taking.
I particularly want to thank parents and educators for the work to support our kids to make a transition to a masking-optional school approach that started yesterday.
This change is hard, and our kids need us to support them and to model how to respect others despite differences. Masking remains a very prudent public health measure, and those who are wearing masks need to be supported. Those who are no longer wearing masks also need support so this single issue does not further drive wedges in our communities.
In general, I ask that all of us strive to be mindful of the fact that we don’t know what factors are driving the decisions of those around us.
If you’re not sure what someone is comfortable with, please don’t assume. Instead, ask them and respect their choices.
This can apply to everything from considering whether to plan gatherings indoors or outdoors, asking about masking preferences when in other people’s homes, and planning for the upcoming return to the workplace in ways that respect and consider different levels of risk in those who are impacted by change.
One thing COVID has shown us time and time again is how connected we are all to each other, and how our actions impact those around us.
As we move through this time of transition, I ask that all of us stay mindful of that fact, and that we think of others as well as ourselves as we go about our daily lives.
Over the last few days, I have heard some reports of people refusing to wear masks in public settings. I want to remind Albertans that until we are in Step 2, masking is required in indoor public places across the province. Masking is especially important in healthcare settings.
Healthcare is different from other public places, and AHS and other healthcare providers will continue to have additional measures and precautions in acute care and continuing care facilities to help protect vulnerable patients and residents. These measures are also keeping healthcare workers safe.
I ask all Albertans who may need to access any healthcare facility in the coming weeks to be respectful of the rules in place, even if they are different from other settings.
By doing so, you are helping to keep patients, residents, and staff in these facilities safe.
Finally, I want to let you know about plans for media availabilities over the next few weeks.
My team has tried over the last two years to support the importance of personal well-being and self-care for those working on the response.
As part of this, we have been working recently to set up a rotation of time away from work, and it is now my opportunity to have some time off.
After this week, I will be away for two weeks.
Minister Copping will provide regular COVID updates to media during that time, and my team will continue to monitor the data and provide input on our response.
There will also not be a COVID media availability this Thursday.
Thank you, and we’re happy to take questions.