COVID-19 -- Canadian Press

By Connor Gunn

1,685 new COVID cases reported Wednesday, vaccine plans released

Dec 2, 2020 | 4:38 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Alberta Health Services has released Wednesday’s report on COVID-19, covering statistics from the past 24 hours. However, before Dr. Deena Hinshaw released the number, Premier Jason Kenney announced Alberta’s vaccine delivery plan, stating it would be essential to the province’s economic recovery and life or death for many residents.

Kenney says vaccine shipments will begin to arrive by January 4 with vaccines being distributed to Alberta’s most at-risk population.

The initial shipment of vaccine will accommodate 435,000 Albertans, as two doses per person will be required over three to six weeks, in order to be fully effective.

Not all of the vaccine will arrive at the same time but, will be delivered in waves (according to the federal government), throughout the early part next year.

Kenney explained, “Alberta Health Services, Public Health and the Workplace Health and Safety branch, will administer vaccines in Phase One, which will focus entirely on Alberta’s most at-risk populations. This is fully in-line with the recommendation of the Special Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination, that has been a collaborative effort between the provinces and the federal government.”

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“Phase-one vaccinations will go to residents of long-term care homes, and designated supportive living facilities, staff who work in those facilities, on-reserve First Nations and health care workers most needed to ensure workforce capacity and most likely to transmit COVID-19 to those at greatest risk”

Kenney wanted to be clear about Alberta’s attitude towards COVID vaccinations.

“Alberta’s Government will not make any mandatory vaccination, we don’t live in a country where the government can inject you with something against your will. In this, I follow the spirit of Sir Wilfrid Laurier who famously said and I quote, I’d rather try the way of persuasion, there is more to be gained by appealing to the heart and soul of men rather to compel them to do a thing.”

Kenney noted, “The province will soon amend the public health act, to remove the power of mandatory innoculation, which has existed in law since 1910.”

But he underscored that as many Albertans as possible need to be vaccinated.

In regards to the latest COVID numbers, 1,685 new cases were confirmed across the province, bringing the total to 61,169. Of those, 17,144 cases are active while 43,464 people have recovered.

That includes 55 infections in the South Zone. Locally, Lethbridge added another 18 positive tests, 12 of which are in West Lethbridge.

Currently, 663 cases are active in the region with 213 of those in Lethbridge.

Since yesterday’s update, 10 Albertans died from COVID-19, and to date, the virus has resulted in 561 deaths in Alberta.

Provincially, 504 patients are currently hospitalized and 97 have been admitted to intensive care.

2,289,456 tests have been completed among 1,487,573 different people.

The regional breakdown for COVID-19 in Alberta is as follows:

• Calgary zone – 24,983 cases, 6,331 active
  • 202 deaths (two new)
  • 162 in hospital, 30 in ICU
• Edmonton zone – 24,895 cases, 7,857 active
  • 248 deaths (four new)
  • 261 in hospital, 55 in ICU
• South zone – 3,987 cases, 663 active
  • 46 deaths (one new)
  • 19 in hospital, six in ICU
• North zone – 4,045 cases, 967 active
  • 48 deaths (two new)
  • 27 in hospital, two active
• Central zone – 3,028 cases, 1,226 active
  • 17 deaths
  • 36 in hospital, four in ICU

The breakdown for the South Health Zone by community is as follows:

• Brooks – 1,288 cases (three new), 41 active, 13 deaths
• Lethbridge – 1,043 cases (18 new), 213 active, seven deaths
  • West Lethbridge – 414 cases (12 new), 86 active, two deaths
  • South Lethbridge – 335 cases (three new), 54 active, three deaths
  • North Lethbridge – 294 cases (three new), 73 active, two deaths
• Lethbridge County – 337 cases (five new), 65 active, two deaths
• Medicine Hat – 289 cases (13 new), 113 active, four deaths
• M.D. of Taber – 262 cases (five new), 90 active, four deaths
• Cardston County – 173 cases (three new), 29 active, six deaths
• County of Warner – 124 cases (two new), 32 active, two deaths
• Cypress County – 118 cases, 19 active, zero deaths
• County of Newell – 113 cases, 21 active, two deaths
• County of Forty Mile – 111 cases (two new), 20 active, one death
• Fort Macleod – 48 cases, two active, three deaths
• M.D. of Pincher Creek – 41 cases (one new), eight active, two deaths
• Crowsnest Pass – Seven cases, two active, zero deaths