The rapid flow COVID-19 immunization clinics in #yeg and #yyc will close by the end of July. Demand for immunization continues; however, rapid flow clinics are no longer needed given the increasing percentage of immunized Albertans. bit.ly/2TwE45y
Seamless access to immunization services will continue to be provided 7 days a week in both cities. Immunization locations include public health centres, some pharmacies and some physician offices.
Staff who were supporting the EXPO Centre in Edmonton and the Calgary Telus Convention Centre will be transferring to other immunization sites, wherever possible.
Please do your part by getting your immunization as soon as possible. As a reminder, Albertans are still required to wear a face mask at all AHS sites, including immunization clinics.
Appointments and drop-ins are available at various locations with minimal wait times. Visit ahs.ca/covid to make an appointment or find a drop-in clinic.
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Alberta Health Services facilities are open and ready to provide care to Albertans who need it. Any patient needing emergency care anywhere in Alberta, or needing an acute care bed, will receive the high quality of care you expect from AHS.
AHS has approximately 8,500 acute care beds and 1,200 emergency dept. spaces across the province. Currently, 98.5 per cent of all AHS provincial acute care beds & 98.9 per cent of all provincial emergency spaces are open & available for patients.
Temporary bed closures are not uncommon for AHS, or for any other health system across Canada. The system is dynamic & beds are managed on an hourly basis based on patient need, staffing levels & many other factors.
The Queen Elizabeth II Hospital remains open for any patient needing care. 1/6
The hospital temporarily closed 8 medical inpatient beds earlier this year due to staffing coverage issues & the COVID-19 pandemic. Six surgical beds were also closed temporarily, resulting in a temporary reduction in surgical services at the site. 2/6
The QEII Hospital emergency department is open 24/7. Sixty-two medical beds and 43 surgical beds remain open and the site has capacity for any patient needing care. 3/6
Timely access to surgeries is important to Albertans, and today, AHS issued a chartered surgical facility (CSF) request for proposals (RFP) to help improve access for Albertans.
CSFs will increase the volume of publicly-funded surgeries currently being performed. These independent facilities provide safe, low-risk surgeries without cost to patients, allowing AHS hospitals to focus on emergency and more complex surgeries.
Orthopedic surgeries, like hip and knee surgeries, have long wait lists with many Albertans waiting longer than experts determine is clinically appropriate.
Case investigation & contact tracing have been a cornerstone in our fight against COVID-19, and we are so incredibly grateful to our team members for stepping up during a time when Albertans needed them most.
With COVID-19 cases at low levels and 5 million+ doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered across the province, AHS has moved into the next phase of our pandemic response.
We are scaling case investigation & contact tracing and other pandemic-specific functions to align with current case counts - as we’ve done throughout the pandemic – and we’re ramping up programs and services that were impacted by COVID-19, such as surgery.
Tomorrow at 8 a.m., additional Albertans will be eligible to book a COVID-19 immunization as part of phase 2B through AHS online & Health Link 811. This includes Albertans with underlying health conditions born in or before 1973. bit.ly/3umCUGs
To prepare for the next wave of eligible Albertans, the AHS online tool will be unavailable tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. Bookings will begin at 8 a.m.
AHS has made enhancements to the online booking tool to allow up to three additional family members who are eligible to receive their vaccine to book at the same time and at the same clinic.
Bookings for those eligible in Phase 2B for COVID-19 immunization are underway. Today, Albertans eligible to book through AHS online or through Health Link 811 include those with underlying health conditions born in or before 1963. bit.ly/2R3L0Fv
Phase 2B represents approximately 650,000 Albertans and is the largest eligible group to date. If 811 rings busy, or you are unable to access the online tool, please try back later in the day as volumes are high.
Eligible Albertans can also book their COVID-19 immunization at participating pharmacies by visiting ab.bluecross.ca/news/covid-19-…