Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. (Government of Alberta)

By Connor Gunn/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Omicron Wave

Province announces new bed capacity measures and response plan

Jan 20, 2022 | 4:52 PM

The Alberta Government announced Thursday there will be extra bed capacity in non-ICU and ICU settings as well as a new community response plan.

“COVID-19 hospitalizations have surpassed any other time in the pandemic. Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services (AHS) are building bed capacity, implementing community responses, and maximizing the workforce as part of contingency planning,” the provincial release reads.

The following measures were announced by Premier Jason Kenney.

Building bed capacity in non-ICU and ICU settings

Existing beds are being allocated for COVID-19 care and additional beds are being opened in some locations as needed. Starting January 24 or sooner, if required, some beds in pandemic response units will be opened at the Kaye Edmonton Clinic (KEC) in Edmonton and South Health Campus (SHC) in Calgary.

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Beds will open as needed to add additional capacity.

Patients moved to a pandemic response unit could be recovering from COVID-19 and deemed to be at low risk of transmitting the virus or be patients with less complex healthcare needs.

Implementing community response plan

AHS is working closely with Primary Care Networks to provide community resources for those managing their illness at home.

AHS and PCN partners have opened or are planning virtual call-in lines or COVID-19 clinics in select communities that will be available to screen, assess, and appropriately direct people with mild and moderate COVID-19 symptoms.

Maximizing availability of workforce to support patient care

Alternate team-based care models are being implemented across the province as necessary.

This means that instead of individual healthcare providers caring for a smaller number of patients, a team that has a complete skill set and relevant experience collectively cares for a larger group of patients.

A total of 610 nursing students have joined the AHS team and will work and get educational credit for assisting through this wave.

Kenney adds these measures should help combat the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

“Hospitalizations continue to rise, but we have the benefit of seeing how Omicron has played out in other jurisdictions. That is why we are taking decisive action now to help our healthcare system respond to the growing demand rising Omicron cases will bring.”

“While some 45 per cent of non-ICU Omicron hospitalizations are incidental, the growing overall numbers will impact our hospitals, so these measures are a common-sense strategy to help our health-care system cope.”

More information on the announcement can be found at AHS COVID-19 Self-Care Guide.