Watch this page throughout the day for updates on COVID-19 in Calgary
Author of the article: Newsroom Staff
Publishing date: May 14, 2021 • 2 hours ago • 5 minute read • Pedestrians walk under the arches of the Hudson’s Bay store in downtown Calgary on Thursday, May 13, 2021. Both the City of Calgary and the provincial government are looking at ways to revitalize the downtown core. Photo by Gavin Young/Postmedia
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With news on COVID-19 happening rapidly, we’ve created this page to bring you our latest stories and information on the outbreak in and around Calgary.
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My COVID Story: How have you been impacted by coronavirus?
Postmedia is looking to speak with people who may have been impacted by COVID-19 here in Alberta. Have you had an upcoming surgery postponed? Do you have a family member in the ICU, or have you recovered after spending time in the ICU? Have you changed your life for the better because of the pandemic? Send us an email at reply@calgaryherald.com to tell us your experience, or send us a message via this form.
‘Exceptional situation’: COVID-19 causes temporary closures of some rural Alberta emergency departments
Alberta aims to tackle surgical backlog: Minister Shandro
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The Albertan government has an ambitious plan to eliminate the current surgery backlog. In a press conference last Friday, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced that the government and its health partners are pursuing an ambitious plan to provide 55,000 more scheduled surgeries in the coming fiscal year starting on April 1, in addition to the normal pre-pandemic volume of 290,000 surgeries, that would eliminate the pandemic backlog of postponed surgeries, and move towards completing their goal of treating every patient within a clinically acceptable time. Shandro noted that before the pandemic started, the UCP government had promised better access to the public all funded health care system.
To date, 3,454,639 tests for COVID-19 have been carried out on 1,832,143 people.
9,488 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the last 24 hours. 275,719 doses have been administered in total; 90,486 people are fully immunized with both doses.
117 adverse events following immunization have been reported to Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services.
Adverse events are classified as any health problem following immunization. They are not necessarily caused by the vaccine.
COVID-19 in Fort McMurray:
Two new active cases in the past 24 hours, bringing known active total to 27. The first case was reported in the city on March 19.
Four new recoveries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 1,732.
The province says that in the next fiscal year, starting April 1, the health system will provide 55,000 additional surgeries on top of the normal volume of 290,000, and by 2023 it plans to be able to to provide all scheduled surgeries within "clinically acceptable times."