Unvaccinated Albertans are majority of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths: Hinshaw
Alberta's top doctor says the majority of the province's new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are among those who are unvaccinated or within two weeks of their first shot.
Dr. Deena Hinshaw, who is Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said in a social media post that 96 per cent of Albertans who have tested positive for the virus since Jan. 1 hadn't had two doses of vaccine.
She said 91 per cent of COVID-19 deaths and 95 per cent of hospital and intensive care unit admissions followed the same trend in the past month.
On Thursday, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dube similarly said on Twitter that 95 per cent of people who tested positive for COVID-19 last week and those who were hospitalized were not adequately vaccinated.
Dr. Craig Jenne, an infectious disease expert at the University of Calgary, said Alberta is making good progress in combating COVID-19 but risks remain.
“We do still have almost a third of Albertans with no protection and that does pose a risk,” said Jenne.
“It doesn't mean we're going to have a problem. But this is very much like a dry forest. And there is a forest fire risk that if we do get an uptick, it can spread fast and far with low vaccine rates.”
Jenne said Alberta has one of the lowest rates of vaccination in the country, despite previously leading the way.
Nearly 75 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose, while more than 60 per cent are fully vaccinated. By comparison, Ontario is nearing 80 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively.
For effective herd immunity, Jenne said more than 80 per cent of the total population needs to be fully vaccinated. Otherwise, he said Alberta could see a resurgence in COVID-19 cases.
“We will not be able to achieve herd immunity, which is a powerful aspect of public health due to vaccination, unless some of these vaccine hesitant people do get vaccinated,” he said.
Jenne encouraged those who are unsure about the vaccines to talk to health-care professionals.
Hinshaw said the two mRNA vaccines - Moderna and Pfizer - are performing slightly better than AstraZeneca in protecting against symptomatic infection, but all have been effective in combating severe outcomes.
With the Delta variant, which was first detected in India, she said one dose of vaccine is 57 per cent effective and two doses are 85 per cent effective.
Hinshaw said two doses of vaccine have also proven 91 per cent effective against the Alpha variant, first identified in the United Kingdom.
“This latest information is encouraging and underscores again the importance of getting fully vaccinated as soon as you can,” Hinshaw said in a Twitter post.
Alberta Health's website shows more than 5,128,000 vaccine doses have been administered in the province, as of Wednesday.
On Thursday, Premier Jason Kenney said 90 per cent of those most vulnerable to COVID over the age of 65 are fully vaccinated.
He said the threat of COVID overwhelming the health system has been sharply curtailed.
“We can move forward with confidence,” Kenney said Thursday during a news conference in Camrose.
“The virus will continue to circulate. Numbers will go up and they'll go down, but what matters most is that the widespread protective effect of vaccines is real.”
Alberta reported 106 new cases of COVID Thursday, bringing the active case count to 676. There are 93 Albertans currently in hospital, with 26 of those patients in intensive care.
The provincial death toll now sits at 2,320 after two additional deaths were reported.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 22, 2021
With files from Dean Bennett in Edmonton
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.