COVID-19 info for Albertans

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

• Core symptoms: cough, fever (over 38°C), shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat.
• Other symptoms: 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

Last updated: October 1

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

Find out how to get tested

Last updated: October 20

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.

Assess your risk of severe illness

There have been promising developments with COVID-19 vaccines. Several vaccines are under review, but to date, no vaccines have been approved by Health Canada.

There is no proven treatment for COVID-19 at this time. Supportive care is being used to treat patients with COVID-19 and some medications are being tested to see if they help severely ill patients.

Last updated: Dec. 2

Once COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by Health Canada, Alberta will begin receiving vaccine doses in early 2021.

Vaccines will be distributed through a phased immunization program (exact amounts and timelines are still being finalized):

• Phase 1 (January to April 2021) – vaccinate about 435,000 people most at risk, including:
  • front-line health care workers
  • residents and staff in long-term care and designated supported living facilities
  • on-reserve First Nations individuals over age 65
  • seniors aged 75 and older
• Phase 2 (April to September 2021) – continue targeting priority populations
• Phase 3 (Fall 2021) – anticipated start of roll-out to the general public

News: Preparing for COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Alberta (December 2, 2020)

Last updated: Dec. 2

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

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. Act with consideration and caution.

File a consumer complaint

If you see prices for products or services 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

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

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.

New restrictions are in effect for places of worship in communities on the enhanced list. Learn more.

Last updated: Nov. 24

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.
• 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

Mandatory restriction – Provincewide – Starting Nov. 30

Grades 7-12 students

• Move to at-home learning Nov. 30 to Jan. 8, except during winter break*
• Resume in-person classes Jan. 11
• Diploma exams are optional for rest of the school year. Students and their families can choose whether to write an exam or receive an exemption for the January, April, June and August 2021 exams.

Grades K-6 students

• This includes Early Childhood Services
• Continue in-person learning until their scheduled winter break (generally Dec. 18*)
• Move to at-home learning after the winter break until Jan. 8
• Resume in-person classes Jan. 11

*Schools have different winter break schedules, check with your school for details.

Exemption is available for students with disabilities or in outreach programs, learn more at K-12 learning during COVID-19.

Last updated: Nov 27 at 7:15 pm

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

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

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.