Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Monday, Dec. 27

See the latest update for Dec. 28here:
Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Tuesday

The latest COVID-19 numbers:

• Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health,said last week she wouldprovide live updates on the state of COVID-19 in the province on Tuesday and Thursday this week but daily updates to the government'spandemicdashboard will be slowed over the holidays. New data, including daily numbers, will be provided thisWednesdayand on Jan. 4.

• Thirty-eight staff members have tested positive with COVID-19 at the Drumheller Institution, according to the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).

  • Some of those who tested positive attended a Christmas party earlier this month, but the CSC would not confirm how many.

  • No inmates have tested positive with COVID-19 during this current outbreak, but in-person visitations to inmates have been indefinitely suspended.

• Last Friday, Alberta Health Services (AHS)provided updated intensive care unitnumbers.

  • There are229 general adult ICU beds open in Alberta, including 56 additional spaces.There are167 patients in ICU.
  • ProvincialICU capacity including surge beds isat 73 per cent. Without the additional surge spaces, provincial ICU capacity would be at 97 per cent.
• The Alberta government reported in its most recent full updatelast Thursday:
  • 1,625newcases.
  • 8,359totalactive cases.
  • No new deaths.Since the start of the pandemic, there have been3,299 COVID deaths in Alberta.
  • 335,047Albertanshave recovered from COVID-19.

• When it comes to the Omicron variant of concern:
  • As of last Thursday, the total number of Omicron casesin Alberta is2,637,and it is now considered to be the dominant strain in the province.
  • Hinshaw says cases of Omicron are doubling every twoor threedays.
  • More than half thevariant cases 1,583 are in the Calgary zone.
  • However, given the anticipated surge in cases due to the Omicron numbers, the Alberta government has made a number of changes that will affect its ability to track cases. (See below).

The latest on restrictions, rapid testing and more:

• New public health restrictions in Albertato help slow the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant tookeffectlast Friday. They include:
  • Venues in the Restrictions Exemption Programthat seatmore than 1,000 people will be at 50 per cent capacity.For venues with capacity of 500 to 1,000 occupants, 500 people is the limit. No food or drink can be consumed in these venues.
  • Premier Jason Kenney said at a press conferenceon Dec. 21 that these changes will applyto NHL games, as well as the World Junior Tournament set to begin on Boxing Day.
  • Restaurants, pubs and bars will have a maximum table capacity of 10 people. Mingling between tables andinteractive activities like dancing or billiardsare not permitted.
  • They must stop serving liquor at 11 p.m. andclose at 12:30 a.m.
• Testing guidelineschanged last Thursday (Dec. 23)
  • The province now recommendsrapid tests forpeople withsymptoms, instead of lab-based PCR tests, except for some priority groups.
  • People who geta positive rapid test result are told to consider that a COVID-19 confirmation, isolate and notify their close contacts.
  • The changewill affect the figures reported by the government, but it plans to usewastewater surveillance and trackpeople who have risk factors.
  • As the proportion of Omicron cases soars in Alberta, the government also told people that if they feel symptomatic, theyprobably have COVID-19.

WATCH |What is the Omicron variant?Infectious disease expert Craig Jenne simplifies what the variant is:

What is the Omicron variant?

3 years ago

Duration 5:00

Infectious disease expert Craig Jenne simplifies what the variant is, and what it means for the latest round in our battle against COVID.

• Hinshawstrongly urged people scale back their gatherings, but acknowledged gatherings of up to 10 people are allowed.
  • Her warning came about a weekafter Premier Jason Kenneyloosenedprivatesocial gathering restrictions on Dec. 15,scrapping the rule that only people fromtwo households can get together indoors. He said social gatherings couldconsist of people from any household, but shouldn't exceed10 people (not counting those under age 18).
  • He also dropped therequirement that everyoneat indoor social gatherings be fully vaccinated.
• Alberta'shealth-care systemhas already been repeatedly overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In anticipation of anticipated demand from soaringOmicron variant cases, the province directed Alberta Health Services to allowany unimmunized physicians and staff who wantto return to work may do so, with participation in a temporary testing program.
  • This will affect approximately 1,400 full- and part-time staff who are not fully immunized, who have previously been placed on unpaid leave. Testing will be at staff expense.
• The governing United Conservative Party was accused of showinghypocrisy by going ahead with a Christmas party on Dec 21, a few hours after the health minister strongly encouraged workplaces to cancel holiday gatherings.
• The Omicron variant has prompted several post-secondary institutions across the province toreturn to online learningfor the first few weeks of the winter term.
  • This includes the University of Alberta, University of Calgary, MacEwan University, University of Lethbridge, Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)and Mount Royal University.
• Alberta has had arestrictions exemption program,a voluntary vaccine passport system, in place as ofSept. 20 after suffering through adisastrous fourth wave of COVID-19.A full list of restrictions and exemptions is available on the government's website.

• Starting Dec. 17, the Alberta government madefreetake-homeCOVID-19 rapid antigen testing kits available for at-home use on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
• There'sa limit of one box per person within 14 days and each box contains five tests, since it takes time for people's bodies to develop enough protein from the virus that causes COVID-19 after being exposed.

WATCH: How to perform the rapid antigen test:

How to use a take home COVID-19 test kit

3 years ago

Duration 1:51

With the province releasing home rapid COVID-19 test kits, Edmonton pharmacist Shivali Sharma shows CBCs Pippa Reed how to use one properly.

The latest on vaccines:

• As of last Friday, Alberta placed last of all provinces and territories in terms of the percentage of eligible people (ages five and up) who had received the COVID-19 vaccine,according to CBC's vaccine tracker.
  • 72.2per cent of the province's total population or 76.6per cent of eligible Albertans(ages five years and older) have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • 78.4per centof the province's total population, and 83.3per cent of those ages five and older, have received at least one dose.
  • That compares with82.4per cent of the total population Canada-wide that hasreceived at least one dose of vaccine, and 76.5per centof the total population that hasbeen fully vaccinated.Among those eligible across the country, 86.7per cent have had one dose, and 80.5per cent are fully vaccinated.

• Starting Dec. 21, the Alberta government announced that anyone aged 18 and older who received their second COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago can now book a third dose.
• Boosters of thePfizer-BioNTechvaccinewill be offered to Albertans 18 to 29 years of agedue to a slightly increased risk of myocarditis in younger Albertans, especially males, from Moderna although the government emphasizes thatindividuals are much more likely to experience myocarditis from COVID-19 infection than the vaccine.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is thelatest detailed regional breakdownof active cases, as reported by the province on Dec. 23:

• Calgary zone: 4,665.
• Edmonton zone: 2,539.
• Central zone:460.
• North zone:424.
• South zone:241.
• Unknown:30.

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories:

The latest updates on COVID-19 in Alberta in charts and graphs: