Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, provided an update on the rollout of third vaccine doses to immunocompromised Albertans as well as First Nations, Metis and Inuit people over 65 and seniors over the age of 75. So far, over 231,000 third doses have been administered to these groups. 

“The third dose is a booster to strengthen and prolong the protection from the primary series of two doses,” said Hinshaw. 

She also touched on rumours about vaccines having a negative impact on fertility, explaining that there is no evidence that proves the vaccine has a negative impact on fertility. Hinshaw will be hosting a public town hall with other doctors for anyone who wants to discuss the issue. 

With Halloween around the corner, Hinshaw provided tips on having a safe Halloween this year. She recommends people stay home if they’re sick and to not hand out candy. If you’re having a party, remember the current limits on gathering. No more than 20 people can gather outdoors and no more than 10 vaccinated people can gather indoors. 

For trick-or-treating, Hinshaw says best practice is to hand out candy with tongs and to wear a mask and sanitize.  

The province identified 770 new cases of the virus Thursday. Currently, 912 people are in the hospital, and 201 are in intensive care. There are 10,434 active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta. 

8 deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Alberta, bringing the total number of deaths to 3,014. 

Local Update

In Grande Prairie there are 216 active cases of COVID-19, and in the County of GP there are currently 113 active cases of the virus. 

Information provided by FortSaskOnline/Government of Alberta