Here is a summary of today’s #COVID19AB update: We have now administered almost 130K doses of vaccine & fully immunized 37K Albertans incl 71% of residents of long-term care & designated supportive living who are most at risk of severe outcomes. (1/11)

Over the last 24 hours, we have ID’d 339 new cases & completed 10.8K+ tests. Our positivity rate is around 3.2%. Stay home & get tested even w/ minor symptoms or if you are a close contact of someone w/ COVID-19. Testing helps us understand how the virus is spreading. (2/11)

There are currently active alerts/outbreaks in 303 schools, w/ 867 cases total. There are 421 people in hospital, incl 77 in ICU. This is far below our peak in Dec., but still 5-7x higher than last spring/summer. We will watch these & other #s over the next few weeks. (3/11)

There are 2 cases of variant COVID-19 w/ in-school transmission as the likely source. Of 7 classes in 6 schools where a variant case has attended & despite rigorous follow-up, this is the 1st we have ID’d variant transmission in 1 of them. Health officials are following up.(4/11)

Over the last 24 hrs, 6 new deaths were reported. My condolences go to their loved ones. The pandemic has made countless aspects of our lives more difficult than before. The past year has taken a toll on the mental health & wellbeing of many of us. (5/11)

In many ways, we’ve each gotten used to parts of our new normal –but that doesn’t mean they don’t impact our well-being. Isolation, staying distanced, financial hardships, remote learning, teleworking, keeping up w/new info & coping w/sickness & death impacts us all. (6/11)

HQCA survey results found 70% of ABs reported feeling stressed out, 46% expressed loneliness & 1/2+ felt their mental health had gotten worse. The physical symptoms of COVID-19 & the physical aspects of the pandemic are visible, but mental health can suffer in silence. (7/11)

Try not to avoid, ignore or suppress anxious thoughts. Be aware of your anxiety & acknowledge it. Use a strategy that works for you to address that feeling, whether it be exercise, talking to a friend or your doctor, or making sure you are getting enough sleep. (8/11)

You are not alone. Mental health services & residential addiction treatment for ppl w/ substance use disorder continue to operate. There are resources like Kids Help Phone, Mental Health Helpline, Addiction Helpline & Togetherall. Visit http://AHS.ca/helpintoughtimes for info. (9/11)

It is important to stay connected w/friends & family. Helping others cope w/stress through calls/video chats can help you & your loved ones feel less lonely or isolated. We can listen, offer advice or connect them to supports. This is the time to lean on each other. (10/11)

There is great power and compassion in reaching out to find how someone is holding up in these cold, dark days of winter. Never underestimate the impact we can all have by showing others that we genuinely care. (11/11)