Major changes coming to testing, isolation and contact tracing for COVID-19 in Alberta

“Cases have risen recently, almost entirely in those who have not been vaccinated, as we expected would likely happen as people came in close contact with each other again,” said Hinshaw, urging that having two vaccine doses has never been more important.

She also said that having two doses of vaccine has never been more important.

“The Delta variant spreads more easily and the second dose is critical for protection,” said Hinshaw. “While COVID-19 cases may rise in the coming weeks and months, a surge of hospitalizations and other severe outcomes is much less thanks to vaccines.”

Hinshaw shared that 95 per cent of new COVID-19 cases since July 1 are in people who are not fully vaccinated. The same goes for 94 per cent of hospitalizations since July 1, and 95 per cent of deaths.

Hinshaw also put out a “call to arms” for everyone to get vaccinated.

Alberta has delivered 5,260,033 vaccine doses as of July 27. 75.6 per cent of Alberta’s eligible 12+ population has received at least one dose (64.3% total population), and 64.3 per cent of those eligible are fully vaccinated (54.7% total population).

In Red Deer, 60,978 (66.5% of eligible/57.3% total population) people have received at least one dose, up 58 in the last day. Meanwhile 52,475 (57.2%/49.3%) are fully vaccinated with two doses, up 221.

A chart supplied by Alberta Health shows vaccinations rates by age group, as of July 28, 2021. (Alberta.ca/covid19)

The following changes will be effective July 29:

Quarantine for close contacts will shift from mandatory to recommended. Isolation for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms and for confirmed positive cases is still required.
- Unimmunized individuals who know they have been exposed to COVID-19 should monitor for symptoms and seek testing if they become symptomatic.
- Anyone who is not fully immunized should avoid high-risk locations such as continuing care facilities and crowded indoor spaces if they have been in contact with a case in the past 14 days.
All positive cases will continue to be notified. Contact tracers will no longer notify close contacts of exposure. Individuals are asked to inform their close contacts when informed of their positive result.
Contact tracers will continue to investigate cases that are in high-risk settings such as acute and continuing care facilities.
Outbreak management and identification will focus on high-risk locations, including continuing and acute care facilities and high-risk workplaces. Community outbreaks with a surge in cases leading to severe outcomes will also be addressed as needed.
Asymptomatic testing is no longer recommended. Testing will continue to be available for individuals who are symptomatic.
Mandatory masking remains in acute and continuing care facilities, publicly accessible transit, taxis and ride-share.

The following changes will take effect on Aug. 16:

Provincial mandatory masking orders will be lifted. Some masking in acute care or continuing care facilities may still be required.
Isolation following a positive COVID-19 test result will no longer be required, but strongly recommended.
- Individuals with symptoms of any respiratory infection should still remain at home until symptoms have resolved.
- Staying home when sick remains an important way to care for those around us by not passing on any infection.
Isolation hotels and quarantine support will no longer be available.
Testing will be available for Albertans with symptoms when it is needed to help direct patient care decisions.
- This testing will be available through assessment centres until Aug. 31 and, after that, will be in primary care settings including physicians’ offices. For those with severe illness requiring urgent or emergency care, testing will be available in acute care and hospital settings.
- COVID-19 testing will also be offered as needed in high-risk outbreaks such as in continuing care facilities.
Public health will focus on investigating severe cases that require hospitalization and any deaths due to COVID-19.
Outbreak management and preventative measures will continue focusing on outbreaks in high-risk settings, such as continuing and acute care facilities.
- Community outbreaks will continue to be addressed as needed.
- Daycares and schools will be supported with measures that would be effective for any respiratory virus if outbreaks are identified.

More information is at alberta.ca.

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Meantime, there are 15 active cases of COVID-19 in Red Deer, up two.

Red Deer added two new cases in the last 24 hours, and stands at 5,803 cases for the entire pandemic.

Recoveries are level in the last day, remaining at 5,745, while Red Deer’s death toll stemming from COVID-19 remains 43, with the last fatality reported July 6.

Active cases across Central Zone (one-day change)

Red Deer County: 7 (–)

Sylvan Lake: 1 (–)

Lacombe County: 5 (-1)

Lacombe: 13 (+5)

Ponoka County: 3 (+1)

Brazeau County: 5 (+1)

Clearwater County: 3 (+1)

Mountain View County: 4 (+1)

Olds: 3 (–)

Kneehill County: 2 (–)

County of Stettler: 0 (–)

The Central Zone as a whole has 73 active cases, up 10 from Tuesday. There are five hospitalizations, up one, and zero people are in the ICU at Red Deer Regional Hospital, the same as yesterday. There have been 172 deaths in the zone linked to COVID-19, with none reported in the last day.

PROVINCIAL NUMBERS

Across the province, Alberta reported 194 new cases on Wednesday out of 7,129 test results for a one-day postivity rate of 2.9 per cent, and a seven-day rate of 2.19 per cent.

Active cases are up 161 to 1,334.

There are 84 Albertans in hospital because of COVID-19, up two from Tuesday, and 18 in intensive care, down three.

The province’s death toll stemming from COVID-19 remains 2,325, with zero deaths reported Wednesday.

You can watch Hinshaw’s entire press conference below:

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Major changes coming to testing, isolation and contact tracing for COVID-19 in Alberta

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