Alberta Imposes New COVID-19 Restrictions – May 6, 2021

New restrictions are now in effect for regions with high case numbers. All Albertans need to follow the new restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health-care system.

Latest updates

• Over the last 24 hours, 2,211 new cases were identified.
• There are 654 people in hospital due to COVID-19, including 146 in intensive care.
• There are 24,497 active cases in the province.
• To date, 176,536 Albertans have recovered from COVID-19.
• In the last 24 hours, there were no additional COVID-related deaths reported.
• The testing positivity rate was 11.1 per cent.
• There were 19,909 tests (4,263,840 total) completed in the last 24 hours and a total of 2,069,204 people tested overall.
• All zones across the province have cases:
  • Calgary Zone: 10,639 active cases and 70,221 recovered
  • South Zone: 1,321 active cases and 9,608 recovered
  • Edmonton Zone: 5,979 active cases and 63,928 recovered
  • North Zone: 3,616 active cases and 18,293 recovered
  • Central Zone: 2,899 active cases and 14,471 recovered
  • 43 active cases and 15 recovered cases in zones to be confirmed
  • Additional information, including case totals, is online.
• Alberta has identified 536 additional cases of variants of concern, bringing the provincial total to 37,329.
• Currently, 857 schools, about 35 per cent, are on alert or have outbreaks, with 5,847 cases in total.
  • 461 schools are on alert, with 1,067 total cases.
  • Outbreaks are declared in 396 schools, with a total of 4,780 cases.
  • In-school transmission has likely occurred in 729 schools. Of these, 253 have had only one new case occur as a result.
• There are currently 124 active and 9,420 recovered cases at long-term care facilities and supportive/home living sites.
• To date, 1,247 of the 2,102 reported deaths (59 per cent) have been in long-term care facilities or supportive/home living sites.

New restrictions in place for high case regions

• New restrictions are in place. As of May 5, outdoor gatherings are limited to five people, most schools have moved to online learning and retail capacity is reduced.
• Effective May 9 at 11:59 p.m., additional restrictions will come into effect for in-person dining at restaurants, bars and cafés, and for personal and wellness services.
• Municipalities that have fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people and/or fewer than 30 active cases are able to return to Step 0 level restrictions.

Enforcement of public health measures

• Fines for non-compliance with public health measures will double to $2,000.
• Repeat offenders will be targeted with a new multi-agency enforcement framework.

COVID-19 vaccination program

• As of May 6, 1,732,582 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Alberta. This is 38,755 doses per 100,000 population. There are now 308,027 Albertans fully vaccinated with two doses.
• All Albertans age 12 and older are eligible to book appointments through AHS or a participating pharmacy provincewide.
• Legislation now allows Albertans up to three hours of paid, job-protected leave to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

• Alberta’s phased approach to vaccination focuses first on priority health-care workers and those who are at highest risk of severe outcomes.

Continuing care

• Starting May 10, restrictions for visitors to continuing care facilities will be eased.
• These changes will vary by site based on the design of the building, wishes of residents and other factors.
• Each site must develop their own visiting approach that falls within the guidelines set out and reflects the risk tolerance of the residents who live at that site.

Rapid testing

• Businesses and service providers are no longer required to have a health-care provider oversee their rapid testing program.
• Rapid tests are available for employers.

COVID Care Teams outreach

• If you or others in your home have been directed to self-isolate/quarantine by Alberta Health Services and are unable to do so safely at home, please contact 211 to discuss options, including accessing an assigned hotel to safely isolate (free of charge). Financial assistance may also be available in the amount of $625, upon completion of the self-isolation period.

Albertans downloading tracer app

• All Albertans are encouraged to download the secure ABTraceTogether app, which is integrated with provincial contact tracing. The federal app is not a contact tracing app.
• Secure contact tracing is an effective tool to stop the spread by notifying people who were exposed to a confirmed case so they can isolate and be tested.
• As of May 6, 314,115 Albertans were using the ABTraceTogether app, 68 per cent on iOS and 32 per cent on Android.
• Secure contact tracing is a cornerstone of Alberta’s Relaunch Strategy.

MyHealth Records quick access

• Parents and guardians can access the COVID-19 test results for children under the age of 18 through MyHealth Records (MHR) as soon as they are ready.
• More than 500,000 Albertans have MHR accounts.

Addiction and mental health supports

• Confidential supports are available. The Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642 and the Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322 operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Resources are also available online.
• The Kids Help Phone is available 24-7 and offers professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people by texting CONNECT to 686868.
• Online resources provide advice on handling stressful situations and ways to talk with children.

Family violence prevention

• A 24-hour Family Violence Information Line at 310-1818 provides anonymous help in more than 170 languages.
• Alberta’s One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• People fleeing family violence can call local police or the nearest RCMP detachment to apply for an Emergency Protection Order, or follow the steps in the Emergency Protection Orders Telephone Applications (COVID-19).
• Information sheets and other resources on family violence prevention are at alberta.ca/COVID19.

Alberta’s government is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting lives and livelihoods with precise measures to bend the curve, sustain small businesses and protect Alberta’s health-care system.

Quick facts

• Legally, all Albertans must physically distance and isolate when sick or with symptoms.
• Good hygiene is your best protection: wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, avoid touching your face, cough or sneeze into an elbow or sleeve, and dispose of tissues appropriately.
• Please share acts of kindness during this difficult time at #AlbertaCares.
• Alberta Connects Contact Centre (310-4455) is open Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.