Young Albertans are now the demographic with the highest COVID-19 rates
Alberta youth now have the highest COVID-19 rate compared to any other demographic.
As of Monday, case rates per 100,000 for Albertans aged five to nine were 377 and case rates per 100,000 for Albertans ages 10 to 19 were 337.
That’s in comparison to the newborn to four age group which had 201 cases per 100,000, the 20 to 29 age group which had 281 cases per 100,000 and the 30-39 age group which had 316 cases per 100,0000.
Public education advocacy group Support our Students (SOS) has been monitoring the number of cases identified at Alberta schools and keeps an updated list on its website.
“It's quite alarming, actually” said Medeana Moussa, SOS executive director “We are really concerned that this government hasn't introduced any mitigation measures beyond masking kids K to 12, and they're really not responding to the urgency of the matter, and they're allowing Delta to rip through schools."
On Monday alone, SOS said COVID-19 cases were reported at 12 different schools in Alberta, two schools moved to online learning and two reported outbreaks.
“The lack of reporting requirements, and contact tracing by AHS (Alberta Health Services) is definitely feeding into the anxiety of parents,” said Moussa. “Because there's so much unknown information, and you're reliant on this volunteered information instead of required information and required isolation.”
On Friday, the Calgary Board of Education penned a letter to the UCP government over its concerns with COVID-19 in schools.
"We are frustrated by the lack of coherent provincial guidance being provided to our families and students," the CBE said.
"Families have received mixed messages about the real and substantial risk that COVID-19 presents to our communities, and school jurisdictions are left to fill the public health gap left by the government."
Meanwhile, Calgary Catholic School District said Monday it recognizes the "ongoing challenges of creating and safe learning environments in our schools during the fourth wave of COVID-19."
"Our board is currently in the process of communicating their concerns to the provincial government."
SPIKE WAS AVOIDABLE: EXPERT
Infectious disease specialist Craig Jenne said the current spike of COVID-19 in school age children was avoidable.
“If we look back to last year, when we started school, we were able to get through most of September and October without substantial outbreaks," said Jenne. “We were just a little more careful. We had more universal masking. We had contact tracing, but perhaps critically, we had fewer viral cases in the community.”
University of Calgary's Craig Jenne infectious disease expert said the low vaccine rate among 20 to 29-year-olds could be a concern when school goes back to class in the fall
Jenne stressed the case jump in school aged children is not only coming from the return to school, but from increased community transmission as well.
He anticipates that as the emergency measures instituted last week start to mitigate community spread, cases among Alberta children will decline as well.
“The thing we should again, keep in mind is, it's going to take a week to two weeks to start seeing those cases (decline). We have brought in measures, the big question is, will it be enough? Will that flatten the curve? Or will it slow the curve? But we should be able to see an impact of these measures in the coming weeks on kids.”
At this time, Albertans under the age of 12 aren't eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, but that could soon change.
On Monday, Pfizer said its vaccine is proving effective in kids under 12, and it will be seeking authorization for the age group soon.
- With files from Sarah Reid
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.