Alberta is seeing a sustained record number of new #COVID19 cases confirmed in the province daily, and with each case: double to triple the number of close contacts that require notification and follow-up.
This volume is unprecedented. The AHS contact tracing team is working tirelessly to meet demand; however, to support this team - and the health of our communities - we are engaging Albertans to support contact tracing efforts.
Effective Friday, November 6, AHS will temporarily change the current approach to close contact notification in Alberta.
AHS will continue to directly notify close contacts of cases of COVID-19 confirmed in 3 priority groups only:
-health care workers
-minors (parents will be notified if child has been exposed in school setting)
-Individuals who live or work w/in congregate or communal facilities
AHS will no longer directly notify individual close contacts of positive cases that are confirmed outside of these three priority groups, at this time.
Instead, Albertans who are not within these priority groups, who have tested positive for COVID-19, will be asked to notify their own close contacts of the exposure.
To support Albertans who will be asked to notify their own close contacts, a new webpage has been developed at ahs.ca/closecontacts.
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AHS is postponing non-emergency surgeries due to strike action by the Alberta Union of Provincial employees at various sites across the province.
All emergency procedures will continue as well as some urgent surgeries, such as cancer procedures. Non-urgent ambulatory care procedures and clinic visits are also being postponed.
Patients will be contacted directly if their appointments are affected. Visitors may be limited at some acute care sites depending on the level of strike action.
AHS is responding quickly to illegal strike action by Alberta Union of Provincial Employees staff at various sites across the province.
We are doing all we can to address any interruptions to patient care caused by this illegal job action. Our focus is on ensuring patients continue to receive the care and treatment they need.
AHS is enacting contingency plans to redeploy non-union staff, including managers, wherever possible to cover for missing staff. AHS is monitoring the situation closely to try to mitigate patient care interruptions.
AHS typically has a three-month supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for our staff. However, we are not just supplying our staff during this crisis.
In our efforts to protect the most vulnerable Albertans, we have been sharing our supply w/ others such as continuing care facilities, physician offices & shelters. This sharing of supply with these types of facilities & providers will continue throughout the #COVID19 response.
Global shortages of PPE & the delays everyone is experiencing in replenishment of stock have left us with significantly reduced supply compared to our potential needs.
AHS has opened a number of "drive-thru" assessment centres for #COVID19. People are referred to these sites after assessment by a Health Link nurse. Sites are currently open in #YEG and #YYC. More are planned in other areas.
A public health nurse swabs the person through their car window. The person then drives home, self-isolates, and waits for their test result.
These sites are not for the general public, but only for people referred by Health Link. They are safe and fast, keep possibly symptomatic people separate from others, and ensure we can test as many people as possible.