Coronavirus: What's happening in Canada and around the world on Monday
CBC
The latest:
Alberta is limiting PCR testing as the surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant pushes the testing system "beyond its capaciity," says the province's chief medical officer of health.
"As many Albertans have found, just getting an appointment for a swab takes several days and the time to get results back is now close to 48 hours after the swab is taken," Dr. Deena Hinshaw said at a news conference Monday.
As a result, PCR testing will now be limited to people with risk factors for severe outcomes and those who live or work in high-risk settings. This includes continuing care residents, health-care workers and staff in acute and continuing care settings, shelters and correctional facilities.
The province on Monday reported there are 635 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 131 more than Friday's update, with 72 patients in ICU. Six new deaths have been reported since Friday, along with 17,577 new lab-confirmed cases.
This comes the same day as students in Alberta and British Columbia returned to classrooms after an extended holiday break.
The question of when students should return to class, and under what conditions, has been a subject of debate across the country as provinces and territories shifted plans in the face of the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
Rapid tests and medical-grade masks will be distributed through Alberta schools, provincial officials have said, with all schools expected to have their initial shipment by the end of this week.
"Both rapid tests and masks will be shipped in phases," read a statement issued by the province last week.
Edmonton Public Schools and the Alberta Teachers' Association have expressed concern over the fact that the supplies won't be on hand for everyone immediately, saying that could further exacerbate the lightning spread of Omicron cases.
Hinshaw has said returning to in-person learning is important for students' mental wellness.
In British Columbia, Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside has said safety measures will include virtual assemblies, visitor restrictions, staggered break times and access to three-layered masks as schools navigate this wave of COVID-19. School attendance will be monitored and an unusual dip will trigger a response from public health, which may include an investigation, the use of rapid tests or a temporary shift to how students learn, she said.
"To help with effective information-sharing, parents are encouraged to report rapid test results to public health and to ensure they contact the school if their child is staying home because of illness," she said.
Teri Mooring, head of the BC Teachers' Federation, has said she would like to see teachers prioritized for COVID-19 booster shots and N95 masks, which should be available for use in schools. Enhanced masking, using HEPA filters and ensuring teachers have their third shots will support schools in staying open, she said.
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