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COVID-19 live updates: Leader of the military team at Royal Alex says they need to stay focused; public health measures are working, Tam

Watch this page throughout the day for updates on COVID-19 in Edmonton

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COVID-19 news happens rapidly, we have created this file to keep you up-to-date on all the latest stories and information on the outbreak in and around Edmonton.


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Share your COVID-19 stories

As Alberta grapples with a fourth wave of COVID-19 at the start of another school year, we’re looking to hear your stories on this evolving situation.

  • Have you or a loved one had a surgery rescheduled or cancelled in recent weeks?
  • Are you someone who has decided to get vaccinated after previously being skeptical of the vaccines?
  • Have you changed your mind about sending your children back to school in person?
  • Have you enrolled your children in a private school due to COVID-19?
  • Are you a frontline health-care worker seeing new strains on the health system?
    Send us your stories via email at edm-feedback@postmedia.com

2:55

Decrease in diagnoses of common illnesses during COVID-19 pandemic could create medical crisis in Alberta, Expert say

Blair McBride

“The average care needs of Albertans will be worse and more complex for a few years until we catch up on these delayed screenings and delayed surgeries,” said Calgary family physician Dr. David Keegan, about a growing backlog of non-COVID medical issues in the province. James May photo courtesy of Dr. David Keegan
“The average care needs of Albertans will be worse and more complex for a few years until we catch up on these delayed screenings and delayed surgeries,” said Calgary family physician Dr. David Keegan, about a growing backlog of non-COVID medical issues in the province. James May photo courtesy of Dr. David Keegan

A health backlog that could persist for years has been created as hospitalizations and diagnoses of other illnesses dropped while Albertans focused on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitalizations from heart problems fell during the early months of the pandemic, Calgary cardiologist Dr. Jonathan Howlett told Postmedia, citing data from an Alberta-focused study.

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Comparing information on Alberta hospital admissions from March 16 to Sept. 23, 2020 with the same period the year before, hospitalizations for heart failure decreased from 3.98 to 3.78 per cent, according to a study in PLOS ONE.

The drop in numbers is reflective of people putting off medical care for heart conditions, delaying testing and adding to surgery waitlists, Howlett said. But he’s worried people will die without getting care.

“There’s a surface feeling where it’s good that there’s less cardiovascular hospitalization and less testing,” he said. “But that glosses over the real problem that people aren’t accessing care. Some will die at home. The ones that make it to the hospital have a higher mortality rate because they’re sicker.”

Diagnoses for common types of cancer have also decreased, by up to 8.5 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019, due to “barriers to diagnosis,” said Dr. Matthew Parliament, an oncology professor at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton.

Based on Alberta Cancer Registry data, Parliament noted that prostate cancer diagnoses dropped by 14.1 per cent in 2020, breast and colorectal cancer by 11.1 per cent and bladder cancer by 4.5 per cent.

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“We have not seen a recovery period, defined as higher-than-usual case volumes, accounting for the patients we had expected in 2020,” said Parliament. “Evidence suggests there remains a cohort of undiagnosed patients.”

Other specialists note that delays in treating cancers make them more complex further down the road.

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2:05 p.m.

‘Do what you need to do:’ Leader of military nurses at Royal Alexandra hospital stays focused

The Canadian Press

Canadian Forces Critical Care Nursing Officers & a CAF Senior Nursing Officer are in Edmonton to help AHS in the fight against COVID-19. The nurses conducted an orientation session with AHS staff on Oct. 6, and will soon be providing care to critically ill patients. /twitter.com/AHS
Canadian Forces Critical Care Nursing Officers & a CAF Senior Nursing Officer are in Edmonton to help AHS in the fight against COVID-19. The nurses conducted an orientation session with AHS staff on Oct. 6, and will soon be providing care to critically ill patients. /twitter.com/AHS jpg

A senior military nurse who has been deployed to Alberta to help overworked hospital staff caring for COVID-19 patients says she hopes to see the day when people’s smiling faces will replace masks and family and friends will be able to gather safely.

Maj. Amy Godwin, 38, is leading a team of eight nurses as part of the Canadian Armed Forces Operation LASER at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital.

“The province of Alberta requested Canadian Armed Forces (help) in the COVID surge that is currently ongoing,” said Godwin during an interview in the lobby of the hotel where she’s staying for a month with her team.

“This is why we’re here.”

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She asked that the name of the hotel not be published due to safety concerns.

There are more than 18,000 active cases of COVID-19 in Alberta. Public Safety Canada has said the Canadian Red Cross is also planning to send up to 20 medical professionals, some with intensive care experience, to augment or relieve staff.

“There are no longer any hospitals in the Canadian Armed Forces so … for our nurses to get acute and critical experience they need, we work in partnership with other civilian hospitals,” said the uniformed Godwin.

“So these nurses have had exposure to COVID patients over the pandemic, and they’re well trained and ready to support Alberta through this time.”

Godwin said she and the other nurses who have been deployed from across the country, including Ontario and Nova Scotia, had their first orientation this week and will be working until Oct. 31.

The military and Alberta Health Services will then reassess to decide whether the nurses should stay.

If they are asked to remain, Godwin said she will be happy to do so.

“If you’re on a mission and it gets extended, the first course of action would be those members to stay versus bringing in new members because that would require significant orientation … so ideally the team that is here would stay.”

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1:50 p.m.

‘I can’t back down’ on COVID-19 vaccine message, says threatened B.C. politician

The Canadian Press

Walden Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist Brian Jones immunizes a customer with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Calgary on Monday, April 5, 2021.
Walden Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist Brian Jones immunizes a customer with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Calgary on Monday, April 5, 2021. Photo by Gavin Young/Postmedia

Politicians accustomed to sparring in British Columbia’s legislature have joined forces outside the house to push for higher vaccination rates in the north, but a longtime member of the Opposition Liberals says the “Alberta influence” is a factor in a part of B.C. where intensive care units can’t accommodate the influx of COVID-19 patients.

Mike Bernier said proximity to neighbouring Alberta “set us back from day one” when it comes to some northern residents shunning vaccination.

“It would be the Alberta influence. A good portion of people in Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe, the Fort St. John area, are very closely related, whether it be for personal reasons or through work, with Alberta,” he said. “And we’ve seen the problems in Alberta with a solid message of trying to get people vaccinated until just recently, and the crisis that they’re in.”

Bernier said some were so angry when B.C. introduced vaccine passports that they posted online messages about shooting him for supporting the policy.

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Most residents in the B.C. region aren’t anti-vaxxers, Bernier said. “They’re strong willed and do not like government intervention. They just want to work and raise their families and are very skeptical of government officials in general telling them what to do.”

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1:37 p.m.

Public health measures working, reason for optimism in fight against fourth wave: Tam

The Canadian Press

Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam listens to a question during a news conference in Ottawa, Jan. 12, 2021.
Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam listens to a question during a news conference in Ottawa, Jan. 12, 2021. Photo by Adrian Wyld /THE CANADIAN PRESS / FILES

Canada’s chief public health officer shot a dose of optimism into the fight against COVID-19 Friday, saying measures introduced to stem the worst of the spread in Saskatchewan and Alberta appear to be working.

And while Dr. Theresa Tam said she’s encouraged by how more people there are choosing to get vaccinated, her message to the provinces was clear: “You still cannot rely on the vaccinations alone at this point.”

Her comments came as the Public Health Agency of Canada released new modelling showing an average of more than 3,700 new daily cases being reported across Canada this week — a far better situation compared to the more than 8,500 daily cases the country was initially projected to hit by mid-September.

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The more transmissible Delta variant, which has caused more people to fall ill, sending them into hospital and intensive care units, has been the country’s latest enemy in its 19-month battle against the pandemic.

Nationally, Tam said, cases have started levelling off as more people get vaccinated and after public health measures were reintroduced in August and September to slow transmission.

It’s the first time since July where the pandemic does not appear to be in a growth pattern for the country, she said. “The curve is just bending.”

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Letter of the day

Covid-19 forces Captain Jason Kenney to walk the plank. (Cartoon by Malcolm Mayes)
Covid-19 forces Captain Jason Kenney to walk the plank. (Cartoon by Malcolm Mayes) Malcolm Mayes
Yesterday afternoon, my husband and I brought our dog to the Callingwood dog park in the west end for some exercise and play time. We walked around the park, enjoyed watching the dogs run and play and then eventually drove home.About an hour later, our front door bell rang and a young woman stood there with my wallet in her hands. She knew it belonged to me because the wallet contained everything, including my driver’s licence with photo ID and address, credit cards and some cash.I had no idea I had lost it, but presumably it must have fallen out of my jacket pocket in the parking lot when I reached inside for my car keys. I stood there dumbfounded, repeatedly thanking her and I asked her what I could do to pay her back for her kindness and consideration. She simply smiled and asked me only to pay it forward.
So thank you Dorsa. I promise I will pay your kindness forward and when that time happens, I will say that it comes from you.Barbara Trayner, Edmonton
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Letters Welcome

We invite you to write letters to the editor. A maximum of 150 words is preferred. Letters must carry a first and last name, or two initials and a last name, and include an address and daytime telephone number. All letters are subject to editing. We don’t publish letters addressed to others or sent to other publications. Email: letters@edmontonjournal.com


Thursday

Alberta to bring in legal protection for businesses requiring COVID-19 vaccines

Lauren Boothby

Premier Jason Kenney, along with Health Minister Jason Copping and Minister Doug Schweitzer provided an update on COVID-19 and the ongoing work to protect public health at the McDougall Centre in Calgary on Thursday, October 7, 2021. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia
Premier Jason Kenney, along with Health Minister Jason Copping and Minister Doug Schweitzer provided an update on COVID-19 and the ongoing work to protect public health at the McDougall Centre in Calgary on Thursday, October 7, 2021. Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia Photo by Darren Makowichuk /Postmedia

Alberta plans to roll out new supports and incentives for businesses opting into the vaccine passport program including a one-time $2,000 grant, increased fines for people who harass staff that enforce COVID-19 rules and legal protections for employers who require staff to be vaccinated.

The changes are meant to help businesses take part in the restriction exemption program which, by requiring proof of vaccination, is paying off as part of the province’s efforts to boost vaccination rates, Premier Jason Kenney said at a Thursday news conference.

“The bottom line is this: vaccines are essential to avoid a collapse in our health-care system, and even more preventable deaths, and we’re doing everything we can to get as many Albertans vaccinated as possible,” he said.

“The restrictions exemption program is another part of these efforts, and it is paying real dividends. That’s why we’re making it easier to use, helping businesses utilize the program, and protecting those Alberta businesses and workers who have implemented this program.”

Small and medium businesses requiring patrons to be vaccinated, show a negative COVID-19 test or medical exemption, can apply for a one-time $2,000 grant meant to offset costs within the next four to six weeks.

An upcoming new law that protects employers who require staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is meant to ease their worries around potential legal troubles, Jobs, Economy and Innovation Minster Doug Schweitzer said.

“That’s why we’re moving on this legislation, to provide absolute certainty that they can put in place a vaccine mandate for their workers as well as implement the (vaccine passport) program without worry about frivolous lawsuits,” he said.

Fines for breaking health orders including mistreating workers who are enforcing them will also be increased to $4,000 from $2,000. The government is also putting $1 million for industry associations to develop or procure workplace safety training for staff to manage challenging situations that may come up while enforcing rules.

The rate of COVID-19 vaccinations has recently levelled off after seeing a spike after the restriction exemption program, and new COVID-19 rules, were announced.

1,254 cases, 13 deaths

Another 1,254 cases of COVID-19 were reported in Alberta on Thursday and 13 more people have died, chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said at the news conference.

The positivity rate was around eight per cent, the fourth day in a row under 10 per cent, which Hinshaw said is encouraging news.

“But it is much too early to declare victory. This weekend poses a significant risk … in order to keep numbers going down, we need all Albertans to have a safe Thanksgiving.”

By Thursday, the number of people in hospital for the disease climbed by nine to 1,083, including 248 in ICU, an increase of one. The Edmonton Zone had the most in ICU at 109.

Active cases declined to 18,411. But Alberta still leads the country in active cases, reporting nearly three times as many as B.C., the province with the second most active infections. There were 4,304 and 4,539 active cases in the Edmonton and Calgary zones, respectively.

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Thursday

Former anti-vax Edson woman shares husband’s COVID-19 ICU horror story

Hamdi Issawi

Chris Palkun, 40, in intensive care at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns Community Hospital. He was in critical condition on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021.
Chris Palkun, 40, in intensive care at Edmonton’s Grey Nuns Community Hospital. He was in critical condition on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Photo by Carla Palkun /jpg
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As a rural Alberta man fights for his life in an Edmonton ICU, his wife, who was once against COVID-19 vaccines, is urging others to get the shot and guard against misinformation online.

On Tuesday, Carla Palkun, 41, made an impassioned plea over Facebook — where she’s a member of several anti-vaccination groups — for unvaccinated Albertans to get the jab after the virus tore through her family last week and left her husband, Chris Palkun, 40, in an intensive care bed more than 200 kilometres away.

Having an otherwise healthy family with no comorbidities, Carla said she was adamantly against COVID-19 vaccines, even when she was driving Chris, who was on the same page, to an Edson hospital on Saturday to be treated for the disease. But on the drive over, her husband had a change of heart, she added.

“He said to me, ‘I think when I get out, I’m going to go get a shot,’ and I said to him, ‘That’s fair enough … but I’m probably still not gonna get it,’ ” Carla told Postmedia in a phone interview Thursday. “I didn’t know he was going to need all this. As soon as he was intubated and taken to (Edmonton) my mind instantly changed over — that I’m going to get the shot too.”

Living “out in the country” near Edson, where the couple’s lives had been untouched by the disease, Carla said she and her husband began to believe that the virus wasn’t real. She sought out information online and joined “anti-vax” Facebook groups that led her to accept some conspiratorial views.

“Everybody’s saying that you shouldn’t get vaxed because there’s something in the vaccinations that the government wants in your body so they can follow you everywhere and control you,” she said.

That all changed when her husband was transferred to the Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton on Sunday.

“It sounds so stupid now,” Carla added.

Carla Palkun, far left, and her husband Chris Palkun, far right, pose with their children for a photograph in January 2020. The Palkuns, who live in the country near Edson, were antivaxxers until Chris got COVID-19 and ended uo in the intensive care unit at Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton.
Carla Palkun, far left, and her husband Chris Palkun, far right, pose with their children for a photograph in January 2020. The Palkuns, who live in the country near Edson, were antivaxxers until Chris got COVID-19 and ended uo in the intensive care unit at Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton. Photo by supplied

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