In other vaccine news, Alberta Health Services is set to temporarily introduce "frequent and targeted" COVID-19 testing at sites considered at significant risk of service disruption resulting from staffing shortages due to unimmunized employees.

Under AHS' current policy, employees who chose not to be fully immunized and have not been granted an accommodation would be put on an unpaid leave of absence. According to Dr. Yiu, about 3,000 staff members have either not provided their vaccination status or have reported they are unvaccinated.

In order to protect patient care, particularly in rural areas, AHS policy will now allow for proof of negative COVID-19 tests in some communities. The proof of negative COVID-19 testing program begins on Dec. 13. AHS' immunization policy deadline will also be adjusted to Dec. 13 to accommodate the testing program.

The province announced 806 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday (325 on Friday, 253 on Saturday, and 228 on Sunday). 432 people are in hospital, and 77 are in intensive care. There are 4,850 active cases in Alberta.
Seven COVID-related deaths were reported on Monday, bringing the total to 3,242.

A total of 6.87-million doses of the vaccine have now been administered in the province; 88.7 per cent of the population 12+ have received at least one dose, while 83.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.

So far, 184,000 kids aged 5-11 have been vaccinated, and 57,000 additional bookings are in place over the next four weeks.

Information provided by OkotoksOnline/Government of Alberta