COVID-19: 35 more deaths in Alberta while number of hospital patients declines

The total number of COVID-19 fatalities in Alberta since the pandemic began has risen by 35 deaths, the province announced Monday.

Alberta Health’s website said 3,776 deaths have now been linked to the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, up from 3,741 on Friday.

However, the total number of hospital patients with COVID-19 in Alberta dropped to 1,528 on Monday, down from 1,566 on Friday. The number of patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units also decreased slightly to 124 on Monday, down from 127 on Friday.

According to Alberta Health, the province had 20,865 lab-confirmed active cases of the disease on Monday afternoon, down from 24,154 on Friday.

Over the weekend, 2,647 new COVID-19 cases (1,146 on Feb. 11, 866 on Feb. 12 and 635 on Feb. 13) were identified via PCR tests in Alberta.

Because of the limited number of Albertans who are now eligible to receive PCR tests, public health officials have noted the true number of both active and new COVID-19 cases is likely far greater than what is being reported.

READ MORE: COVID-19: Challenge on lifting mask mandate in Alberta schools denied by court

Alberta’s positivity rate is currently at 26.41 per cent, according to the provincial government’s website.

Step 1 takes effect

The first phase of Alberta’s three-phase plan to lift health restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic fully came into effect on Monday.

READ MORE: COVID-19 vaccine QR codes remain but app to scan them can’t be downloaded: Copping

Parts of the plan’s first phase already took effect last week, including the province’s vaccine passport program coming to an end.

READ MORE: COVID-19: How to talk with kids as Alberta students return to class with no mask mandate

“Today, Step 1 of Alberta’s Path Back to Normal is entirely in effect,” Health Minister Jason Copping tweeted on Monday.

“Effective at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2022: masks will no longer be required for all children and youth in schools, (and) masks will no longer be required in any setting for children 12 and under.”

Alberta expands booster eligibility

Beginning Tuesday, immunocompromised Albertans with specific underlying health conditions who are between the ages of 12 and 17 will be able to book an appointment to receive a booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Albertans who meet these eligibility criteria but already have a third dose will also be able to book an appointment to receive a fourth dose.

“All children aged five to 11 who have specific immunocompromising conditions will also be eligible to book a third dose as part of their primary series,” the government said in a news release issued Monday.

Eligibility for receiving a third dose will also be expanded to First Nations, Métis and Inuit youth in the same age group.

The government said it was basing its decision to expand eligibility for booster doses on recommendations made by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the Alberta Advisory Committee on Immunization.

See more specific details on what underlying conditions make the above Albertans eligible for a booster shot and how long they need to wait after their last dose to get a booster at the bottom of this article.

“I know this will be welcome news to young Albertans who live with immunocompromising and other underlying health conditions and to their parents and families,” Copping said.

“I encourage all parents and guardians to get their children immunized, whether or not they fall into these high-risk categories.”

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the province announced the expanded eligibility to offer young Albertans “additional protection against the virus.”

“It is important that all Albertans get immunized with all of the doses they are eligible for to help protect themselves and those around them,” she added.

The underlying health conditions that make Albertans aged 12 to 17 who are not First Nations, Métis or Inuit eligible for a booster dose include:

-A missing spleen or a spleen that is no longer working
-Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
-Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
-Chronic liver disease
-Chronic neurological disease
-Chronic respiratory diseases
-Diabetes requiring insulin or other anti-diabetic medication to control
-Pregnancy
-Severe mental illness or substance use disorder
-Severe obesity
-Severe or profound learning disabilities or severe developmental delay

The provincial government says people 12 to 17 must wait at least five months after their second dose to receive a booster shot of a vaccine or five months after their third shot to receive a fourth jab.

Eligible immunocompromising conditions for all Albertans five years of age and older who want to receive a booster dose are:

-Recipients of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy
-Moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome or Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome)
-Advanced untreated HIV infection or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or perinatally-acquired HIV infection
-Immunosuppressive therapies (such as anti-B cell therapies, high-dose systemic corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites or tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors and other biologic agents)
-Transplant recipients, including solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplants
-Chronic kidney disease receiving regular dialysis
-Receiving active cancer treatment (chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapies), excluding those receiving only hormonal therapy, radiation therapy or surgery

For children between the ages of five and 11 who have immunocompromising conditions and want to receive a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the recommendation is to wait at least eight weeks after their second dose to get a booster shot.