COVID-19 info for Albertans

Symptoms

COVID-19 symptoms can be mild and are similar to influenza and other respiratory illnesses.

• Common symptoms: cough, fever (over 38°C), shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat.
• Other symptoms can include: stuffy nose, painful swallowing, headache, chills, muscle or joint aches, feeling unwell in general, new fatigue or severe exhaustion, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or unexplained loss of appetite), loss of sense of smell or taste, conjunctivitis (pink eye).
• Symptom of serious illness: difficulty breathing or pneumonia.

Get tested and isolate if you have symptoms

Assess your risk of experiencing severe health outcomes if you get COVID-19

Last updated: July 27 at 4:00 pm

Alberta has one of the highest testing rates in the world. Testing is a critical element of Alberta's relaunch strategy.

Testing will prioritize Albertans with symptoms and vulnerable groups at higher risk of getting or spreading COVID-19. This will reduce testing wait times and speed up access to results.

Priority testing is available to:

• any person exhibiting any symptom of COVID-19
• all close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases
• all workers and/or residents at specific outbreak sites

Voluntary asymptomatic testing is also offered to:

• school teachers and staff
• health care workers
• staff and residents at congregate living facilities, including long-term care
• Albertans experiencing homelessness
• travellers who require testing prior to departure

Asymptomatic testing will be available to additional groups if required.

Albertans without any symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 who have concerns about their health should speak with their health care provider.

Find out how to get tested

Last updated: September 17 at 3:30 pm

COVID-19 is transmitted though tiny droplets of liquid produced by people who have the virus.

These droplets spread by:

• coughing, sneezing, talking, laughing, and singing
• touching objects or surfaces the virus has landed on and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth (bath towels, kitchen utensils, door knobs, etc.)

People who have COVID-19 can spread it to others before they start to feel sick.

COVID-19 is not widely spread by being airborne, which means it doesn’t stay in the air long and won’t go very far. But if you are too close to someone with COVID-19 you can get sick by breathing in air that contains droplets with the virus.

We think the virus generally only survives for a few hours on a surface or object, but it may be possible for it to survive several days under some conditions.

Help prevent the spread

Last updated: July 8 at 10:30 am

COVID-19 can cause serious respiratory illness. Because it is a new virus with no treatment or immunity in people, it is important for people with any symptoms to stay home and isolate to keep it from spreading.

Most people – about 80% – recover without needing special treatment. However, it can cause serious illness in some, and there is a risk of death in severe cases.

While we are still learning about COVID-19, serious illness appears to develop more often in people who are older or have pre-existing conditions, such as:

• cardio-vascular disease (congestive heart failure, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation)
• chronic liver disease
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• dementia
• diabetes (type 1 and type 2)
• immuno-deficiency disease
• malignant cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer)
• renal disease (chronic renal failure and end stage renal disease)

Assess your risk of severe illness

There is no vaccine or proven treatment for COVID-19 at this time. The virus is new and different, so needs its own vaccine – which researchers around the world are now working to develop.

Supportive care is being used to treat patients with COVID-19 and some medications are being tested to see if they can help severely ill patients.

Last updated: April 3 at 3:30 pm

Coronaviruses

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause respiratory illness in people, ranging from mild common colds to severe illnesses.

Novel coronaviruses, like COVID-19, are new strains of the virus that have not been previously identified in humans. This means people have no immunity against it, and it has no vaccine or proven treatment.

COVID-19 vs. Flu

In some ways, COVID-19 is similar to influenza (also known as the flu), but there are also key differences.

Similarities

• Both cause respiratory disease.
• Both are spread by small droplets from the nose and mouth.
• Neither is spread through the air over long distances and times.

Differences

• COVID-19 does not have a specific vaccine or treatment available.
• COVID-19 does not appear to transmit as efficiently as influenza:
  • mainly people with symptoms seem to be spreading the disease, but asymptomatic transmission is possible and symptoms may be very mild, so transmission is possible even if the person is feeling well
  • controlling its spread is possible when people with symptoms are isolated
• COVID-19 causes severe disease and mortality in more cases than the flu. On average:
  • COVID-19 has resulted in 1 to 2 deaths per 100 cases
  • Flu results in 1 death in every 1,000 flu cases

Because COVID-19 can cause serious illness, it is critical to keep it from spreading by having people with symptoms follow mandatory isolation requirements.

Last updated: July 15

The COVID-19 pandemic can have a significant impact on mental health.

Online resources are available if you need advice on handling stressful situations or ways to talk to children.

• Help in Tough Times (AHS)
• Mental health and coping with COVID-19 (CDC)
• Talking with children about COVID-19 (CDC)
• COVID-19 information for young kids and students (PDF, 122 KB)

If you need to talk, call the 24-hour help lines:

• Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642
• Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322

If you or someone you know is at risk of family or sexual violence, help is available.

Family violence

• Call our 24-hour Family Violence Info Line at 310-1818 to get anonymous help in over 170 languages.

• Chat live online with the Family Violence Info Line for support in English (8 am – 8 pm)

Sexual violence

• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence can provide assistance in finding sexual assault support services (9 am – 9 pm daily):
  •  Call 1-866-403-8000 | 215+ languages
  • Text 1-866-403-8000 | English
  • Chat online | English

Other resources

• Family violence during COVID-19 information sheet (multiple languages)
• Find information on shelter and financial supports
• Learn how to recognize and prevent family violence

Children are at a higher risk for neglect and abuse during times of uncertainty and crisis.

Call the 24-hour child abuse hotline at 1-800-387-KIDS (5437) if you think a child is being abused, neglected or sexually exploited.

Learn the signs of abuse

We’re receiving two types of complaints related to consumer exploitation resulting from COVID-19:

• retail outlet stores raising prices for high-demand products (i.e. toilet paper, hand sanitizer)
• private individuals purchasing mass quantities of supplies and reselling them at an inflated premium

The Consumer Protection Act prevents suppliers from grossly raising prices with no explanation beyond what is reasonable for goods that are readily available.

Unlike commercial sales, the act does not explicitly cover private sales. We urge all Albertans to act with consideration and caution and to find ways to help support each other in this time.

File a consumer complaint

If you see prices for products or services in Alberta skyrocket because of COVID-19, you can report it through our Report-a-Ripoff submission form or by calling 1-877-427-4088.

Cyber security incidents involving malware and fraudulent activities, including identity theft, are being reported across Alberta in the wake of COVID-19.

• Anyone who receives a call asking for credit card information should hang up immediately and call the non-emergency line for local law enforcement.
• Albertans are encouraged to continue to exercise caution when clicking on links or providing personal information to people and organizations that request that information, unsolicited.

Learn about cyber security

Requirements around rent increases, late fees, payment plans, and landlord entry are in place for residential and mobile homes site tenants and landlords due to COVID-19.

Learn about renter and landlord protections

Last updated: June 30

Alberta credit unions

• Credit union members will have access to a variety of programs and solutions designed to ease difficulties with loan payments and short-term cash flow. Contact your credit union to work out a plan for your personal situation.

ATB Financial customers

• Personal banking customers can apply for a deferral on their ATB loans, lines of credit and mortgages for up to 6 months.

Residential education property tax rates will be frozen at last year’s level – reversing the 3.4% population and inflation increase added in Budget 2020. This will save households $55 million.

Learn more

We implemented a 6 month, interest free moratorium on Alberta student loan payments for all Albertans in the process of repaying these loans.

• Alberta Student Loan repayments will be paused for 6 months, beginning March 30, 2020.
• Interest will not accrue during this period. This mirrors the approach of the Canada Student Loans Program.
• Students do not need to apply for the repayment pause.
• Borrowers may continue making payments during this period if they choose and this will not affect their eligibility to receive the benefit.

Residential customers could defer electricity and natural gas bill payments until June 18, 2020. This program has concluded.

Learn about the utility payment deferral

Albertans may be eligible for financial supports through the federal government:

• Employment Insurance sickness benefits: Provides up to 15 weeks of income replacement if unable to work due to illness, injury or isolation.
• Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB): Provides up to $2,000 a month.
  • AISH and Income Support recipients can exempt a portion without affecting their benefits
• Canada Child Benefit: Eligible parents received $300 more per child with their May payment.
• GST Rebate increase: Provided a one-time special payment in May of up to $400 for single people and $600 for couples.
• Eased rules for Registered Retirement Income Funds

See all federal support programs

Nearly one million Albertans act as caregivers for loved ones experiencing challenges related to illness, disability or aging. These caregivers need support too.

Caregivers can get psychosocial and other peer and community supports by calling the toll-free caregiver advisor line at 1-877-453-5088 or going online to caregiversalberta.ca.

$30 million has been provided to charities, non-profits and civil society organizations to support their COVID-19 response.

More information on emergency funding for charities and not-for-profit organizations.

Last updated: Aug 12

Disability service providers play an essential role in supporting people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information see COVID-19 information for disability service providers.

Currently, evidence does not suggest:

• being pregnant increases your risk of getting COVID-19 or having serious complications
• COVID-19 is transmitted to your baby during pregnancy, delivery or through breastmilk

However, there is always an increased risk of preterm or stillbirth with any significant maternal illness.

Talk to your health care provider if you have questions or are worried about leaving your home to attend appointments.

If you aren’t feeling well, take the online assessment to arrange testing

For more information, read the AHS COVID-19 and Pregnancy guide.

Worship leaders may continue to hold worship services remotely, but can now offer in-person services with no cap on attendance, as long as physical distancing of 2 metres is maintained between families and household cohorts.

Congregational singing is a high-risk activity and is discouraged.

For more information, see guidance for places of worship (available in multiple languages)

Last updated: Aug 12

Shelters and temporary or transitional housing facilities provide an essential service in Alberta during this time.

• These facilities are exempt from the mass gathering public health order and may provide shelter to more than 50 people – as long as risk mitigation strategies are followed, including maintaining a minimum of 2 metres distance from one another.
• All non-essential gatherings inside these facilities must include no more than 50 people.
• For more information, read:
  •  Exemptions related to public health orders
  • Shelter guidance: preventing and controlling and managing COVID-19 (AHS) (PDF, 764 KB)

We are working with community-based organizations, homeless shelters and women’s shelters to:

• update pandemic plans with guidelines and information specific to COVID-19
• expand shelter capacity and help current service providers to maintain physical distancing practices by finding additional space to house people

$30 million has been committed to adult homeless shelters and women’s emergency shelters to support their COVID-19 response.

Last updated: Aug 12

Government issued public health orders to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, among seniors and vulnerable groups for the following settings:

• Long-term care facilities
• Licensed supportive living facilities, including seniors lodges and group homes
• Licensed residential addiction treatment centres (under the Mental Health Services Protection Act)

Find updated guidelines and standards

Last updated: April 15 at 5:35 pm

Volunteers play many important roles in communities across our province.

Volunteers and volunteer organizations must follow all necessary precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to protect themselves and those they help.

• Volunteers and employees may work together at distances of less than 2 metres, where unavoidable.
• Volunteer organizations must take actions to prevent the transmission of infection among employees, volunteers and the people they are helping.
• Proper hygiene and cleaning practices must be followed within the volunteer organization.
• Any employee or volunteer with symptoms, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat, is required by law to isolate and may not participate in volunteer or workplace activities.

Information for non-health care volunteers (PDF, 43 KB)

• Licensed daycare, out-of-school and preschool programs are now able to open as part of Alberta's Relaunch Strategy.
• Operations must resume with increased infection prevention and control measures to minimize the risk of increased transmission of infections.
• Providers must follow guidance for safely reopening.

Guidance for child care and preschools during COVID-19

Last updated: Aug 12

• Students will return to daily in-school classes in September under scenario 1- near normal operations with health measures
• Mask use for grade 4 to 12 students, and all school staff, will be mandatory where physical distancing cannot be maintained, including on school buses.
• Public health guidelines for scenario 1, a parents’ guide and a re-entry plan provide details on measures to reduce the risk of infection at schools
• The measures include enhanced cleaning, increased hand hygiene, staying home when sick, and physical distancing when possible
• Parents and students can prepare for what to expect in the upcoming school year by checking out the return to school tool kit

K to 12 school re-entry

Last updated: Aug 4 at 9:30 am

In-person classes may resume with restrictions.

Contact your post-secondary institution, or visit their website, for more information on course delivery for this fall.

Learn about post-secondary learning during COVID-19

Resources:

• Chief Medical Officer of Health orders, amendments and exemptions

Last updated: Sep 2

Submit your offers of products or services to the Alberta Bits and Pieces Program if you're interested in supporting the COVID-19 response.

If there is a requirement for your product or service, you will be contacted directly.

The program is named after the “bits and pieces program” established by Canada’s Minister of Munitions and Supply during the Second World War, C. D. Howe. The program coordinated innovative production and procurement efforts from across the Canadian economy to support the war effort.

Alberta’s public health officials are carefully monitoring the situation in Canada and around the world. They are:

• working closely with federal, provincial and territorial partners to share information and assess potential health risks
• ensuring our health system is responding effectively
• ensuring front-line health professionals have information about the virus so they can:
  • take recommended actions
  • promptly report potential cases to public health officials
• updating isolation and self-monitoring recommendations for returning travellers as required
• tracing all close contacts of confirmed cases, testing and isolating those who are symptomatic, and asking even those who feel well to isolate for 14 days after their last contact with the case
• granting law enforcement the authority to enforce public health orders and issue fines to anyone violating a public health order
• protecting Albertans in congregate care facilities by updating standards and guidelines
• making testing available to all Albertans with COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat)

View all public health orders

Updated: April 15 at 11 am

Some Alberta government office locations have temporarily closed to the public.

To find out how to access affected government services, visit the program's web page or call Alberta Connect at 310-4455 from 8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday.

View list of temporary office closures