Here is a summary of today’s #COVID19AB update: It is incredible that within 1 year of the virus being discovered, we already have a vaccine that’s 95% effective going into the arms of those caring for long-term care residents & the sickest patients in our hospitals. (1/11)

Any time there is a new vaccine, it can cause anxiety & questions. Canada has one of the most robust regulatory approval processes for new vaccines in the world. Health Canada moved quickly, but no steps were skipped. Rigorous testing & scrutiny was applied. (2/11)

The ingredients inside it are only those needed to keep the vaccine stable & safe. Clinical trials w/ 10s of thousands of ppl from multiple countries found no safety concerns. Health Canada is being cautious, making sure there is clear evidence before offering it to CDNs. (3/11)

Because this is a new vaccine, we will also be watching closely. Alberta will be working with all the other provinces and territories, and the Public Health Agency of Canada, to closely monitor all those who receive the vaccine for any adverse events. (4/11)

The benefits of vaccines outweigh the risk & save lives. We are taking every precaution & acting on clear evidence showing this vaccine works & is safe. When it is your turn, pls get immunized. It is an act of kindness – for yourself, your loved ones & your community. (5/11)

Over the last 24 hrs, we ID’d 1,270 new cases & completed about 17.5K new tests. Our positivity rate stands at about 7.3%. 749 ppl are in hospital, incl 139 in ICU. AHS is taking steps to increase capacity & expand the number of acute care & ICU beds. (6/11)

Sadly, 16 new deaths were reported in the last 24hrs. My thoughts are w/ those grieving their loss. Each death is a reminder it is vital to reduce spread quickly. In less than 10 months, more ABs have died from COVID-19 than from influenza in the last 10 yrs combined. (7/11)

There are active alerts/outbreaks in 452 schools (19%) w/ 1,964 cases incl 128 on watch. This virus affects all of us. Adults in their 20s – 30s are the largest group of active cases we have w/ 32k+ contracting COVID-19 in AB incl 380+ hospitalized & 8 deaths. (8/11)

If you gathered every Albertan 20- 39 diagnosed with COVID-19, they would fill the Saddledome in Calgary, the Centrium in Red Deer & ENMAX Centre in Lethbridge. The virus does not discriminate and it can have long term & potentially devastating impacts on people’s health. (9/11)

It is vital for everyone to avoid in-person interactions whenever possible. The less we interact with others, the lower the chance that we’ll catch the virus, or pass it on to someone else. (10/11)

For the rest of the month, we all need to make sacrifices incl saying no to holiday parties or other gatherings. Instead, connect online. We are all protecting each other, and the sacrifices we make in the coming weeks will help determine what the new year brings. (11/11)