Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Thursday, Jan. 21

The latest:

• Alberta reported another 678new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday upfrom 669new cases on Wednesday with around a4.8per cent positivity rate.
• There are 726people in hospital, with 119in intensive care, down slightly from 744 in hospital the previous day. Another 16people have died for a total of 1,500dead.
• Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health,said Thursday no additional measures are being eased while hospitalization numbers remain high.

• Hinshaw said the dataindicates that the tougher restrictions put in place in November and December have achieved their intended outcome, so far. She said it's important to continue to follow precautions and be mindful of community transmission in an effort to reduce case numbers and hospitalizations.
• Since reaching a peak on Dec. 7 of 1,767 new cases per day, the seven-day average of daily new cases has been steadily declining. As of Jan. 20, the seven-day average was 644.86, which is roughly the level it was at in early November when the numbers were rising sharply.
• Alberta's total of active cases has dropped to 10,256as of Jan. 20, which is roughly the level that was seen in mid-November.
• The total has been dropping slowly but steadily since it peaked at 21,138 on Dec. 13, a day after tougher provincial restrictions kicked in that made working from home mandatory for those who could,banned in-person service at restaurants, pubs and bars,and entirely closed entertainment and recreation facilities from movie theatres to gyms, personal and wellness services like spas and hair salons.
• A total of96,506vaccine doseshad been administered as of Thursday.
• Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said earlier this week that Alberta currently has the capacity to deliver 50,000 doses per week and by March it's expected the province would be able to administer about 200,000 doses per week. But the disruption in supply coming to Canada is putting those goals in doubt.
• The planned vaccination of First Nations and Mtis individuals and seniors over age 75 has been put on hold.

See the detailed regional breakdown:

Here isthedetailed regional breakdown of active cases as of Thursday.

• Calgary zone: 3,962, down from 4,096 reported on Wednesday (41,118 recovered).
• Edmonton zone: 3,561, down from 3,679 (45,550 recovered).
• North zone: 1,383, down from 1,411 (8,022 recovered).
• South zone: 405, down from 411 (5,143 recovered).
• Central zone: 931, down from 949 (7,409 recovered).
• Unknown: 14, down from 16 (116 recovered).

Find out which neighbourhoods or communities have the most cases, how hard people of different ages have been hit, the ages of people in hospital, how Alberta compares to other provinces and more in: Here are the latest COVID-19 statistics for Alberta and what they mean

Here are thelatest Alberta COVID-19 stories from yesterday and today:

• Edmonton animal clinics busier during pandemic
• Alberta funeral homes offer different ways to grieve during pandemic restrictions
• Declining case numbers show Alberta restrictions working, Dr. Deena Hinshaw says
• Lack of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine forces Alberta to focus on second doses, health minister says
• COVID-19 is hitting First Nations in Western Canada especially hard
• Fort Good Hope mother urges people to follow COVID-19 measures as son fights for his life in Edmonton
• International border COVID-19 testing pilot at Edmonton airport to begin February 1
• Calgary gets 2nd COVID clinic to treat long-haul respiratory problems
• International ski and snowboard bubble planned for Calgary cancelled
• Calgary airport limits terminal access to travellers and employees
• Alberta nurses get sick pay reinstated for COVID-19 isolation
• Family doctors call on province to let them give COVID-19 vaccinations
• Seed craze depletes supply from here to Missouri as green thumbs stock up early
• Here are the latest COVID-19 statistics for Alberta and what they mean

Declining case numbers show restrictions are working, Hinshaw says:

Declining numbers of cases and positive tests for COVID-19 in Alberta show that restrictions put in place last year have been effective, the province's top doctor says.

Alberta reported 21 more COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday and 669 new cases of the illness.

Laboratories conducted about 14,900 tests over the past 24 hours putting thepositivity rate at about 4.5 per cent.

"It's very encouraging to see our positivity rate steadily declining since the peak in December,"Dr. Deena Hinshaw, the province's chief medical officer of health, said Wednesday at a news conference.

"And I would say that the data that we have indicates that the restrictions put in place in November and December have achieved, so far, their intended outcome."

It's critical that the provincemaintain enough restrictions to continue to drive those numbers down, Hinshaw said, given the high number of people still being treatedin hospitals.

"We need to build on our collective success by going slowly towardallowing some additional activities and not experiencing a rebound if we open too quickly," she said.

For more, see:Declining case numbers show Alberta restrictions working, Dr. Deena Hinshaw says

Alberta to change vaccination rollout plan:

An announcement thatCanada will notget any Pfizer-BioNTechnext week means Alberta will have to change its vaccination rollout plan and concentrate ongiving second doses to those who have already been vaccinated, the province's health minister says.

Tyler Shandro said Tuesday he was "extremely concerned" by the news that Pfizer would decreasethe amount of COVID-19 vaccine coming to Canada from its factory in Belgium, with no doses expected to arrive next week and further anticipated reductions in the following two weeks.

"With fewer vaccines arriving, we have no choice but to focus on delivering second doses for those who have already been vaccinated," Shandro said in a statement.

• WATCH | Dr. Deena Hinshaw discusses Pfizer shortage

Alberta prioritizing second dose vaccinations due to Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine shortage

4 years ago

Duration 1:27

With uncertainty in the supply of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine, Alberta Health Services is adjusting planning of the rollout and doing everything they can to get second doses to those who have received their first dose, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Tuesday.

"All new first-dose appointments for eligible health-care workers are being postponed. Some second-dose appointments will also need to be rescheduled in the coming weeks."

Vaccine has been reserved to ensure the province canprovide second doses to all long-term care and designated supportive living residents, Shandro said.

"At this time, we believe Alberta Health Services will also be able to provide second doses to health-care workers within the established window," he said. "However, some uncertainty exists because it is unknown how much vaccine will be received by Canada in the first two weeks of February."

• For more, see:Lack of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine forces Alberta to focus on second doses, health minister says

New clinicto treat long-haul respiratory problems:

A new COVID-19 followup clinic designed to help people struggling with long-term respiratory problems after a diagnosis is set to open at Calgary's Peter Lougheed Hospital next month.

This is the second clinic of its kind in Calgary and one of just three in Alberta. A similar centreopened in Rockyview General Hospital in September. There is another at the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

"I know there's going to be a need for these patients," said Dr. Jason Weatherald, a pulmonologist and assistant professor at the University of Calgary who works at the Peter Lougheed Centre in northeast Calgary.

"When I was working on the COVID units in the hospital, I really realized that northeast of Calgary was disproportionately being affected by COVID in the community but also in terms of the number of hospitalized cases."

For more, see:Calgary gets 2nd COVID clinic to treat long-haul respiratory problems

Funeral homes offer different ways to grieve:

Gathering restrictions in Alberta have promptedfuneral homes to offer friends and families more options to remember loved ones.

Live streams and video recording of funeral services weren't popular options for grieving families before but some funeral directors say the services may be here to stay.

On Jan.8, the family of Donna Burkoholder held her funeral service near Tofield, Alta. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, only 10peoplecould attend in person.

It made for a tough decision for the family.

"How do you pick which family can come to a family member's funeral? So we didn't have my children or my little brother's children," said Lorne Burkholder, Donna's son. "That's going to be the loneliest moment ever you're going through."

Working with family members, community members, and the funeral home, the family held a service with 10 peoplebeside the casket outsideSalem Mennonite Church.

For more, see:Alberta funeral homes offer different ways to grieve during pandemic restrictions

International border COVID-19 testing pilot at Edmonton airport to begin:

Edmonton International Airport officials are guardedly optimistic about the expansion on Feb. 1 of the COVID-19 international border testing pilot program.

Currently the pilot is only available to eligible international travellers arriving at Calgary International Airport and the Coutts land border crossing.

Those participating in the program entering Canada will have to show proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours before the flight before being allowed to board the plane destined for the province.

Once they arrive in Alberta, they will be tested again and must quarantine for 48 hours. If the second test result comes back negative, they can leave quarantine as long as they remain in Alberta for the first 14 days and get a follow-up test a week later.

Currently, both the federal and provincial governments are discouraging unnecessary travel.

The pilot will run until 52,000 people have been tested.

Based on 2020 travel numbers, it may take awhile to get to that 52,000 mark.

• For more, see:International border COVID-19 testing pilot at Edmonton airport to begin Feb. 1

Calgary airport limits terminal access:

The Calgary International Airport is restricting entry to its terminal building to passengers and people who work there, as part of its efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.

As of Jan. 18, only passengers with a valid boarding pass and on-duty airport employees will be allowed inside, said Reid Fiest, the airport's manager of media relations.

There are some exceptions, including people who need to travel with a support person, adults accompanying a minor who is travelling alone, hotel guests at the Calgary Airport Marriott and approved accredited media.

• For more, see:Calgary airport limits terminal access to travellers and employees

International ski and snowboard bubble planned for Calgary cancelled:

A proposed Calgary snow bubble is no longer going forward.

On Wednesday morning, the international governing body for skiing and snowboarding (FIS), in consultation with Freestyle Canada and Canada Snowboard, decided not to continue with plans to host the 2021 world championships proposed for Calgary.

Countless hours had been spent planning and putting forward proposals to host the 2021 freestyle ski, snowboard and freeski world championships, as well as a number of World Cup events, that were going to be held starting Feb. 24 and running until the middle of March.

The events were going to include dozens of athletes from across Canada and around the world one of the sticking points was having a large number of international athletes coming into the country.

"While we are gutted, the safety and health of our athletes, coaches, volunteers and staff is, and always will be, our top priority. COVID-19 continues to evolve globally, and we believe this decision is in the best interest of our broader sport community at this time,"said Peter Judge, chief executive officer of Freestyle Canada.

The announcement comes just a day after two members of Canada's snowboard delegation preparing to compete at an international event in Switzerland tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the entire Canadian men's slopestyle team to miss the event.

• For more, see:International ski and snowboard bubble planned for Calgary cancelled

Alberta nurses get sick pay reinstated:

Nurses who have to self-isolate due to exposure to COVID-19 will receive special sick leave retroactive to July 6 under an agreement reached with Alberta Health Services this week.

The sick pay applies to symptomatic employees with or without a confirmed workplace exposure, and asymptomatic employees who were forced to quarantine due to exposure. The sick pay provisions do not apply to anyone forced to quarantine due to international travel.

The measure is retroactive to July 6, 2020, the day Alberta Health Services ended the special code nurses could use for COVID-related sick leave. The code allowed them to take time without using up their regular sick days. Under the agreement, nurses forced into quarantine since July 6 can qualify for payments or reinstatement of their regular sick days.

In addition to paid sick leave, AHS is offering one day of paid leave and leave without pay to nurses who need to care for sick family members or children who are at home due to a school or daycare closure.

• To find out more, see:Alberta nurses get sick pay reinstated for COVID-19 isolation

• For the latest on what's happening in the rest of Canada and around the world on Thursday,seehere.