Calgary gets pop-up vaccine clinics as Alberta sees small drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations

Both Alberta’s COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU admissions went down slightly on Thursday.

According to Alberta Health, there were 1,067 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Thursday, that’s down from 1,087 on Wednesday and 1,106 on Tuesday.

There were 76 Albertans with COVID-19 being treated in ICUs Thursday, that’s down from 78 on Wednesday, and 77 on Tuesday.

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“Over the last week, 33 per cent of new non-ICU admissions were incidental cases,” chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw shared on Twitter.

“COVID-19 was the primary cause of admission or a contributing cause in 65.5 per cent of cases. The remaining 1.5 per cent were undetermined.

“For ICU, 12 per cent were incidental, 88 per cent of new admissions were due to COVID,” Hinshaw wrote.

Six new COVID-related deaths were reported to Alberta Health in the past 24 hours, putting the province’s total deaths due to COVID-19 at 3,992 since the start of the pandemic.

Over the last 24 hours, 522 new COVID-19 cases were identified by the lab and 3,041 tests were completed.

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Alberta’s positivity rate sat at 19.5 per cent Thursday.

The number of active COVID-19 cases across the province is listed at 6,689. As access to PCR testing is limited, officials have said both the number of new cases and active cases is likely much higher.

As of Thursday, 86.6 per cent of Albertans 12 and older have been fully vaccinated and 90.1 per cent of the same group has at least one dose.

In order to encourage immunization, two pop-clinics are being offered in Calgary in March. The clinics — on March 12 at the Genesis Centre and March 19 at the Village Square Leisure Centre — will offer vaccines for COVID-19, influenza and pneumonia.

COVID-19 vaccines are available across the province through appointments or on a walk-in basis.

Third doses are available to everyone 18 and older and some children with underlying health conditions. All youth 12 to 17 can get a booster dose starting March 14.