Everything you need to know about COVID-19 in Alberta on Friday, Dec. 3

The latest COVID-19 numbers:

• The Alberta government reported Friday that there were 349new COVIDcases.
• Alberta Health says there are 395people with COVID in hospital,78of them are in intensive care.
• The province recorded onenewdeath.
• A total of 3,258Albertans have diedof COVID since the pandemic began.
• There areactive alerts or outbreaks in 138 schools.
• The total number of active cases in Alberta is4,440.
• 328,694Albertansare considered to have recovered.
• No new cases of the omicron variant were reported Friday. The provincial totalremains at four cases.
• Alberta is reporting an R-value below 1. The R-value is the average number of COVID-19 infections transmitted by each diagnosed case.
• An R-value below 1.0 means transmission is nolonger growing. Provincewide, the R-value for Nov. 8 to 28was 0.88, with a confidence interval between0.84 and 0.91.
• The R-value for the Edmonton zone is 0.95, and in Calgary it's0.90. In therest of Alberta the rate is0.80.
• In response to falling COVID-19 numbers across the province, the government is only giving live media updates once a week and otherwise posting daily numbers online.

WATCH: Dr. Deena Hinshaw shares what experts know about the latest COVID-19 variant:

Albertas top doctor details what is known about omicron variant

3 years ago

Duration 1:53

Dr. Deena Hinshaw shares what experts know about the latest COVID-19 variant, which has now been confirmed in Alberta.

The latest on vaccines:

• Alberta is expanding access to booster shots to all Albertans ages 18 and older, six months out from their second dose of the vaccine, Health Minister Jason Copping said.
• Albertans 60 and older are eligible for a third dose of the vaccine starting Monday, Dec. 6. Appointments will open for this age group Thursday.
• Bookings for additional age groups willopenin line with available supply, Copping said.
• Copping said the province expects that bookings for all adults over the age of 18 will open by early next year.
• Unvaccinated travellers over the age of 12 now cannotboard a plane or train in Canada as of Nov. 30, and a negative COVID-19 test will no longer serve as a substitute for most people.
• Hinshaw said she has heard of a "concerning trend" in which parents are withdrawing their consent from all vaccines at schoolsbecause they're worried their children may receive a COVID-19 vaccine without their knowledge.
• "I want to be crystal clear that no child will receive any vaccine in school without their parent or guardian's consent and knowledge," Hinshaw said.
• Alberta's vaccine record now meetsthe recommended Canadian standard for domestic and international travel. It includesmiddle names andis in both official languagesatalberta.ca/CovidRecords.
• Kenney said Monday that Albertans can now download an updated QR federal code for air and rail travel after it was suspended following a data breach last week. The premier said an investigation into the reasons for the data breach is ongoing.

• The percentage of eligible people who are vaccinated dropped on Nov. 26, aschildren between the ages of five to 11 were added to the population of thoseeligible in Alberta:
  • 71per cent of the province's total population or 76per cent of eligible Albertans(ages five years and older) have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Out of the province's total population, 76per cent have received at least one dose, or 81per cent of (ages5and over), according toCBC'svaccinetracker.
  • That compares with80 per cent of the total population Canada-wide thathavereceived at least one dose of vaccine, and 76per centof the total population who are fully vaccinated.Among those eligible, 84per cent have had one dose and 80per cent are fully vaccinated.

• COVID-19 vaccination appointments began Nov. 26 for children between the ages of 5 and 11.
  • Appointments can be made for children at Alberta.ca/vaccine or by calling Heath Link at 811.
  • The pediatric vaccines are being delivered to 120 vaccination clinics across the province, althoughnotin schools.
  • Children eligible for vaccines who live on a First Nations reservecan access doses through nursing stations or public health clinics on the reserve.
  • Regardless of whether they are vaccinated, children ages five to 11 will not be subject to Alberta's restrictions exemption program.

• More Albertans becameeligible for a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of Nov. 8 including:
  • Residents aged 70 and older.
  • First Nations, Mtis and Inuit residents 18 years and upareable to access the booster shots.
  • Frontline health-care workers. The doses need to be booked for a time that's at least six months after the second dose.
• The province said Nov. 23 it is now recommending an eight-week interval between mRNA vaccines.
  • The Alberta government is nowadvising that anyone between the ages of 12 and 29 receive the Pfizer-BioNTechvaccine rather than Moderna.

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  Kenney'sgovernment imposeda voluntary vaccine passport system as ofSept. 20tocombat the disastrous fourth wave of COVID-19.
• As of Nov. 15, anyone wanting to enter a business taking part in the Albertarestrictions exemption programmust presentproof of vaccinationthat includes a QR code.For those over18, valid identification matching that record is also required.
  • Albertans can get their enhanced vaccine records with aQR code online atalberta.ca/CovidRecords.
  • The AB COVID Records Verifier app is available to download on Apple and Android devices.
  • Exceptions includeFirst Nations and military vaccination records.
  • People who are not fully vaccinated can still opt toprovide a privately paid negative COVID-19 test from within the previous 72 hours or valid proof of a medical exemption.
  • Operators who are eligible for the program,but opt not to take part, have to follow measures that include capacity limits and physical distancing.
  • As of Monday (Nov. 29), ski hills can operate outdoor activities without implementing the program. Masking will still be required in enclosed areas.
  • Ski hill operators can implement the program for indoor areas to permit indoor dining and other activities.
  • A full list of restrictions and exemptions is available on the government's website.

• The City of Calgary'sstate of local emergencyexpires on Dec.2. However, the vaccine passport bylaw andface covering bylaw will remain in place.
• On Nov. 15, Calgary city council voted unanimously in favour ofextending the city's mandatory vaccination policy for staff to include citizen members appointed to boards, commissions and committees.As of Dec. 1, those who are not vaccinatedwill be required to continue to participate in the rapid testing program on their own time and at their own expense.
• Albertapublic sector workers will soon be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. The policy, approved by the province's COVID-19 cabinet committeewill affect25,500 provincialemployees who must all submit proof of full vaccination by Nov. 30.
• AHSextended adeadline for employees, medical and midwifery staff, students, volunteers and contracted healthcare providers to comply with its mandatory immunization policy until Nov. 30.

The latest on surgeries, hospitals, mask bylaws and more:

• Support people who are symptomatic for, or diagnosed with, COVID-19 are no longer be able to accompany maternity patients into hospitals.
  • Alberta Health had previously allowed designated support people who were COVID-19 positive or symptomatic into hospitals with maternity patients.They rescinded the order after determining with Alberta Health Services that health-care facilities couldn't provide the additional protections required.

• AHS has begun administering a new monoclonal antibody treatment that was recently approved by Health Canada, Hinshaw said on Nov. 9.
  • Sotrovimab is a new drug developed for treating patients with COVID-19 who have mild to moderate symptoms.
  • It is the first treatment to be offered to outpatients in Alberta.

See which regions are being hit hardest:

Here is thelatest detailed regional breakdownof active cases, as reported by the province on Friday:

• Calgary zone: 1,749
• Edmonton zone: 1,166
• North zone: 653
• Central zone: 537
• South zone: 329
• Unknown: 6

Here are the latest Alberta COVID-19 stories: