Some Alberta teachers keeping a close eye on vaccination, COVID-19 rates
Some post secondary teachers say they'll be watching vaccination rates and an increase in COVID-19 cases closely as students return to class in just over a month.
Alberta has seen exponential growth in cases over the last week, and certain age groups are still lagging behind when it comes to immunization.
One of those groups primarily makes up post secondary students.
As of Friday, Albertans aged 20 to 29 are only about 44 per cent vaccinated.
They also make up a large number of the active virus cases in the province.
"When about half the group is not vaccinated, it's very easy for the virus to find its next host and move quickly through a classroom," Craig Jenne said.
Jenne is with the University of Calgary's Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Infectious Diseases.
Come September, he'll be holding lectures to 150 students at a time.
"In my class we could have 75 or 80 people not vaccinated when we start up," Jenne told CTV News. "It's basically the ideal environment for a virus to move around."
Jenne has both of his shots and says he knows of many students who do too. The provincial data of vaccination rates in university and college students isn't available.
COVID-19 numbers over the weekend show the virus isn't gone yet.
Almost 400 cases were announced over the three day period -- and some believe the stats may have been helped along by the Calgary Stampede, which wrapped up July 18.
More than 60 per cent of Alberta's active cases are in the Calgary health zone.
But amongst the upwards trend, there is a lot of good news.
Hospitalizations and deaths have either steadied or are declining. Experts say it's proof that vaccines are working.
Jenne believes it's reason for optimism on the pandemic front.
"It's something we have to keep our eye on, but it's not something that should be all consuming at this point," he said. "The virus will continue to spread if we gather in large groups indoors, so if we can get outside and physically distance, there's no reason not to get out and enjoy summer."
Experts largely believe herd immunity can be reached if vaccination numbers approach 85 per cent.
As of Monday, fewer than 76 per cent of all eligible Albertans have been immunized.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.